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,0* \''^'^'a- >.-'?.^''y^' X'^^^f^^'V^ 



T A Iv K R 



AF 

F. Herman Gade, 

Norsk Konsul i Chicago. 



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CHICAGO 

JOHN ANDERSON PUBLISHING COMPANY. 
1 ©10 






Dedicated to the memory of one who had the highest 
conception of the duties of a Consul and ^vho for more 
than a quarter of a century filled that office xvith unsur- 
passed grace, dignity and devotion as the representative 
of the United States at Christiania. 






rrs 2T* rt 



FORORD. 

Blandt de Pligter, der tilligger en Konsul, er ogsaa den 
i Embeds Medfor at vasre nasrvaerende og tale ved Na- 
tionens Hoitidsdage saavelsom ved forskjellige andre An- 
ledninger, da Landsmoend samles for at feire sine historiske 
Minder eller andre mere aktuelle Begivenheder. Naar jeg 
ved saadanne Anledninger har talt, baade her i Chicago og 
andetsteds. blandt Normajnd i Amerika, har jeg altid folt 
dette mindre som en Embedspligt end som et Privilegium 
og en Fornoielse. 

Idet jeg nu reiser hjem til Norge for at nedsaette mig 
der og trseder tiibage fra min Stilling som norsk Konsul i 
Chicago, hvis Pligter i de forlobne fern Aar er blevet mig 
kJ32re, har jeg onsket at give de mange trofaste Venner, 
der altid med Imedekommenhed og Velvillie har stottet og 
opmuntret mig i Opfyldelsen af disse Pligter, en liden Erin- 
drinor om vort faelles Arbeide for Fcedrelandet. 

Modtag derfor denne lille Samling som et Tegn paa 
min Taknemmelighed og som et Udtryk for den Hengiver.- 
hed jeg sammen med Eder foler for vor dyrebare "Gamle 
Mor Norge." 

F. Herman Gade. 
Frogner, Lake Forest, Illinois, 
24de Juli 1 910. 



Speech delivered in Kuhn*s Park, Chicago, May 17th 1897 
on The Constitution of Norway. 

Fellow Countrymen: — 

Patriotism great and deep-seated is manifested here 
to-day. On a foreign shore, thousands of miles distant 
from our beloved country, this patriotism asserts itself 
and finds expression in celebration similar to that at home. 
We march in procession with our national colors as they 
do far off there in Norway, where we ourselves, most of us 
as children, some even at more advanced age, have 
marched with flag in hand to the honor and glory of the 
dear mother-land and her day of rejoicing. To-day we 
unite in mind and heart with our brothers at home — for 
home it still is and ever will be, however good citizens we 
make here — , and we sing the praises of that home in its 
national hymns and commemorate the day when there was 
given to her that bulwark of liberty and independence, 
the constitution of ''Syttende Mai". 

Of what does this patriotism consist? Love of our 
country with its beauty, traditions and customs ? Love of 
all that is dear to us from our childhood; the relatives, 
friends and other ties there at home ? Yes, love certainly 
and something else beside, which perhaps after all is a 
part of that love: gratitude deepfelt and lasting, 
gratitude for what she gave and still gives, gratitude for 
all she was and still is to us every day of our life. 

We are told that we make good citizens in this country, 
that we are found to be an honest, industrious trustworthy 

(7) 



8 

people. It is said that we are the kind of immigrants this 
country wishes and needs, and that we seem to bring with 
us from across the seas a knowledge of institutions 
and conditions of the freest kind, presumably similar to 
those existing here. It is said that we are an element for 
good and benefit to this country in standing on the right 
side where principle is involved, above all, that we are 
law-abiding. 

If this be true and we are deserving of such com- 
mendation, if we are in truth law-abiding, it must be due 
to the conditions and institutions of our home, where that 
quality was fostered in us which naturally obeys and re- 
spects law. It must be for the reason that we are ac- 
customed to a law that commands respect and deserves 
obedience. 

To a people's laws and institutions one must look to 
learn its nature. The rules and regulations laid down by 
a people for its own conduct are a criterion of its sense of 
responsibility and honor, and according as they are just, 
good, liberal or reverse, they advance or retard that 
people's growth, development and happiness. They cannot 
but affect the attitude, not only of the people as a whole, 
but in some degree of the individual towards every 
question met with in life. 

What laws has Norway? What is her constitution? 
It is a constitution than which none on earth can be found 
more free and just. Some would object to this on the 
ground of her not being a republic, having an impression 
that monarchical form of government implies a curtail- 
ment of the people's power, that in fact the word "king" 



9 

means loss of rights to the people. But is it after all so in 
Norway? Do we not know that the will of the people 
is asserted there in more prompt and telling manner than 
in this republic, and that our constitution retained as chief 
executive a ^'king", because our traditions, abounding 
with the leadership of a king, so demanded it? Has not 
the Norwegian people repeatedly passed the measures it 
wished above the king's veto in accordance with its con- 
stitutional right to do so? Did not the democratic spirit 
of the Norwegian people bring about the abolishment of 
titles against the expressed wish of King Carl Johan, 
nobility being a last remnant of class distinction repug- 
nant to the spirit of the constitution. 

And this constitution it is to which we to-day pay 
honor and respect with deep feeling of gratitude in our 
hearts not only for its strong care and protection of us 
at home, but also for its lasting benefits to us here in 
training and adapting us to American citizenship. God 
keep that constitution safe and give to our people 
strength to preserve it intact and sacred! 



Three Letters from Norway to The Lake Forester written 
during the summer of 1902. 

Sognefjord, Norway, July 17, 1902. 

The Lake Forester : — 

We have reached the famous region of fjords on the 
west coast of Norway and are at present sailing on the 
Sognef jord, the longest and grandest of them all. 

A fjord is an arm of the sea cutting into the land and 
winding, first in one, then in another direction, deep in 
between the mountains, and often dividing into numerous 
smaller arms, bays and inlets. "While a fjord may be very 
narrow, occasionally only a couple of hundred feet in 
width, its possible lenght may be understood when I men- 
tion that we are now over one hundred and fifty miles 
from the open sea. The depth of some fjords is marvel- 
ous, even exceeding that of the open sea outside ; and the 
water is usually calm and placid on account of the protec= 
tion and shelter afforded by the high mountain walls on 
all sides. Sometimes, however, there may lurk treachery 
in a pass between the peaks, whence a sudden gust of 
wind will descend upon the fisherman's light skiff. 

The walls of rock rise from the water perpendicularly 
several thousand feet all around us. We are so hemmed in 
on all sides, so entirely shut off from the green slooping 
world outside, that we seem to be mercilessly caught in a 
trap of stupendous design and proportions. Our little 
steamer approaches the gray wall nearer and nearer, 

(10) 



11 

finally so close that collision seems inevitable. There is an 
impulse to stretch out one's arm to ward off the blow. 
Suddenly there appears a narrow inlet through which we 
escape destruction only to glide still further into the tre- 
mendous towering mass of rocks. 

Gradually the mountain-side begins to slope slightly 
and at the same time is clad, though but scantily, with 
verdure. Out of the very stone grow dark Norway pines, 
intermingled with occasional dots of lighter birches, but 
both of stunted growth. ]\Ioss hastens to do its share and 
cover the bareness between. One asks constantly how 
this strange vendure can exist in such stern places and 
receives only the answer, that nature here verily is 
grateful for wondrously little. 

The top of the mountain wall stands out sharp against 
the sky and extends in irregular lines of bold crag and 
cliff, until it lifts itself into a majestic peak. Here and 
there the water has worn it into a gorge that runs in a 
deep rut down to the fjord. On top lie wide snow fields 
and gleaming glaciers, the latter blue, green — every opal- 
escent hue. Further down the mountain side are numer- 
ous smaller patches of snow, shielded by the rock from 
the rays of the sun, defied to the very end of the short 
Norwegian summer. 

From the ice and snow above flow countless 
streams, mighty rivers and tiny brooks, all hastening to 
the fjord below, in leaps and bounds of rushing, glittering 
waterfall. White against the rock they look in the far 
distance like thinnest silver threads. The rush and 
gurgle of these waters is all that breaks the awful calm 



12 

and stillness of this region. In some places the peaks are 
so enveloped in misty clouds as to be entirely lost to view 
— lost up in that enchanted world peopled in the Nor- 
wegian imagination with all manner of mountain folk, 
''trold/' ''huldrer," ''nisser." And these mysterious 
creatures of the old Norse folklore do not omit to give 
evidences of their existence to common mortals below, 
for moans and groans are heard to come from the glaciers, 
and awful avalanches tell of still more serious trouble 
among the turbulent supernaturals. 

The fjord itself, mirrorlike, reflects so truly all 
majestic nature around as if it wished to make double 
sure that it should be indelibly impressed upon your 
mind. Its deep blue, shifting into all metalic shades, 
recalls the descriptive line of a famous Norwegian ode 
to the fjord: 

"Steel-gleaming shield o'er Vikings' graves." 

This is the famous land of fjords. Mecca of summer 
pilgrims from all parts of the world. An hour ago we 
saluted Kaiser Wilhelm on board his great ''Hohenzol- 
lern," and just now, in passing Mr. Goelet's beautiful 
steam yacht, we have done proud reverence to the Stars 
and Stripes. Fredrik Herman Gade. 



Hardanger, Norway, July 25, 1902. 
To the Lake Forester: — 

The distinguishing feature of the scenery of Norway 
is its wonderful variety. In this respect it can claim de- 
cided superiority over Switzerland, having all the beauties 



13 

of the latter country and much besides. In the eastern 
part of Norway, especially along the Swedish boundary, 
there are long stretches of pine=clad hills enclosing com- 
paratively wide valleys of fertile, well cultivated fields, 
the farm houses here also having a prosperous well-to-do 
appearance. Further west the mountains are higher and 
leave less space for the valleys between, in which how- 
ever the vegetation is still luxuriant and varied. In 
ascending from these valleys and passing the line of tree 
vegetation one comes upon vast stretches covered only 
with moss, low bushes and alpine flora, and dotted and 
streaked by innumerable lakes, rivers and brooks. Some- 
times a plateau, enlivened by patches of snow, but oc- 
casionally rising into dignified peaks; then there is the 
high mountain region of wild black peaks, white snow- 
fields and blue glaciers — all looking like angry waves of a 
tempestuous sea, something approaching that which Swit- 
zerland so boasts of ; and finally, in the west, Norway has 
her most characteristic and famous features, her chief 
pride, the like of which is to be found nowhere on earth — 
the fjords. In traveling through the country from east to 
west we have seen in turn each one of these aspects of 
Norwegian nature, from the most mild, generous, smiling, 
to the sternest imaginable. 

From Christiania we proceded into the interior by 
railroad — little play cars as they appear to an American 
— making, by ''limited express," eighteen miles an hour! 
Meals are obtained at the stations on the way, where the 
traveler, after helping himself to some of the tempting 
dishes on the counter, states the extent of his consumption 



14 

and his consequent reckoning. Such an idea as a possible 
loss through a dishonest patron could not enter the Nor- 
wegian mind. The railroad journey was followed by 
steamboat travel for half a day on a long but very narrow 
sheet of water, which, as in fact most of the lakes in Nor- 
way, is merely a widening of the river. When our little 
steamer, at the further end of the lake, entered the river 
proper and encountered swift current and rapids, progress 
became slow and looked at times most dangerous. The 
many logs that in places filled the river and came dashing 
down upon our bow and under the keel with a pounding, 
rumbling sound, were also by no means reassuring. Any 
fears we might entertain were, however, dispelled by a 
look at the rotund figure and smiling countenance of the 
old captain, who had steered his boat successfully over 
that exciting course for the last twenty-five years. He 
related with pride how Genral Grant had been one of his 
first passengers, and how, many years later. Admiral 
Selfridge of the U. S. Navy had stood beside him on the 
bridge the entire afternoon, watching the skilfull 
navigation. 

Now commenced the four day drive through the long 
Valders Valley and across the mountains to the west 
coast. And here I must say a word about the little Nor- 
wegian ponies, that, without apparent exertion, carried 
four of us and baggage all the way, accomplishing about 
fifty miles a day. The horses of the celebrated Nordfjord 
breed are generally light tan in color and of stocky, short 
limbed build, emphasized by the cropped mane. Though 
not graceful to look at, they have qualities of much 



15 

greater worth — strength, endurance, and patience incom- 
parable. They are so surefooted that they can safely 
tread the most difficult and steep mountain paths, and 
they possess a nerve that laughs at precipices beneath. 

The roads of Norway are a revelation and never-ceas- 
ing wonder to foreigners traveling upon them. First the 
feats of engineering involved in their building, and then 
the maintenance of the roadbed. Mountains are scaled 
and crossed by means of long curves and numerous zig- 
zags, all of such gradual ascent as to make the grade 
hardly noticeable. Often the road is for several miles 
hewn wholly out of the rock and supported by a tremend- 
ous wall of stone and masonry, while in exceptional places 
it is even necessary to cover it with a strong roof as pro- 
tection against avalanches and falling stones. The sides 
are protected with formidable stones several feet high, 
placed along the edge, in case of a precipice or lake below 
so close to one another as to form a nearly continuous fence. 
The surface of the road, sandy but hard, and rarely either 
dusty or too wet, is of such a graceful and uniform bevel 
as to put to shame the builders of the famous old Roman 
roads. I have heard American travelers exclaim that 
their park drives at home could not compare with these 
Norwegian highways. 

While one can readily understand that Norway may 
produce and educate able road engineers, one has diffi- 
culty in comprehending how so poor and sparsely settled 
a country can afford the immense cost of such construc- 
tion. The answer is perhaps, that the government has 
deemed the outlay good policy for the country, in fur- 



16 

nishing a great inducement to travel the. d, winch means 
employment for many people. Of materials there is cer- 
tainly no lack, for the mountains and river beds furnish 
respectively the stone and sand required for the best 
macadam. 

The excellent maintenance of the roadbed is the same, 
whether the government itself keeps it up or the farms of 
the district through which it passes are charged with the 
duty. The latter arrangement is often adopted in lieu of, or 
rather, as a kind of taxation, and the peasants prefer 
paying the tax in this indirect manner — by work instead 
of money. Pieces of the road are allotted for care to the 
several farms in proportion to their acreage, consideration 
being also taken to the benefits accruing to each, and the 
pieces in question are marked by signboards bearing the 
name of the farm, length of allotted piece, etc. Should a 
farm be remiss in the discharge of its '^road tax," the 
owner would quickly and effectively be reminded by the 
sheriff, among whose duties it is to make frequent and 
careful inspections of the roads in his county. 

Fredrik Herman Gade. 



Christiania, Norway, August 17, 1902. 
To the Lake Forester: — 

In my last letter I told of our taking the four-day over- 
land drive from eastern Norway through the Valders Val- 
ley to the west coast. I want now to add a few impres- 
sions of the houses and people we saw on the way. 

In the east, where the valleys are comparatively wide, 
and nature on the whole generous and smiling, the farms 



17 

are large and prosperous with extensive, though, to be 
sure, often steeply slooping fields of grain and pasture. 
Here, too, there is evidence of an abundant number of 
cattle, and the buildings of one single farm may number 
over twenty, there being a separate house for every con- 
ceivable purpose. The most singular and quaint of these 
are the ''smoking house" and the ''stabur." 

The former is not designed, as one might suppose, for 
the after-dinner comfort of the male members of the 
family, but, on the other hand, serves a purpose strictly 
utilitarian. Here fish and meat are cured, dried and 
smoked for long keeping and future consumption — good 
haunches of venison caught on the high mountain, beside 
the humbler produce of the farm itself, hams of goat and 
pig, sausages, etc. The smoking house is always easily 
recognizable by the absence of windows and by the 
charred and blackened appearance of the logs near the 
door resulting from the operations carried on within. 

The stabur is still quainter, perched in the air several 
feet on wooden or stone posts, and accessible only 
from a flight of steps, separated by such a space from the 
threshold as to call for a good stride in entering. This 
singular manner of building fulfills admirably its purpose 
in making the stabur or storehouse absolutely ratproof. 
There are usually two stories, of which the lower is used 
for food, stored in sacks and boxes on the floor and hung 
from large hooks in the rafters, or, if good cheer for the 
holiday season — home brewed ale, mead and ''aquavit" 
(Norwegian brandy) — kept in strong barrels and kegs. 
The top story, which extends out beyond the lower and 



18 
is sometimes furnished with a little balcony, is chiefly de- 
voted to clothing, for bed and table as well as the person. 
Here are kept the fine costumes donned only for wed- 
dings and other great occasions, and in summer it is a 
convenient place to put away the sheep and bear skins 
needed in the cold season. A stabur may occasionally be 
found decorated with rich wood carving, the work on 
door posts and lintel perhaps placing its origin with 
certainty five hundred years back. Not the least pictures- 
que feature of the stabur, as well as of certain of the other 
buildings, is the roof, consisting of a good crop of grass, 
interspersed with bright wild flowers and even supporting 
fair-sized trees. In the construction of such a roof the 
rafters are first thatched with birch bark and on top is 
then placed a deep layer of earth, sufficient for luxuriant 
vegetation. In more than one place we observed the pet 
goat of the farm having a good meal on the roof. 

In connection with the farm, as forming a detached 
part of it, I must not omit to mention the '^sgeter," a 
dairy hut or group of small buildings situated up in the 
mountains, often far distant and at an elevation well above 
the tree line. In the latter event the saeter house is built 
of stones piled on one another without aid of plaster or 
cement. Hither the cattle of the farm are taken by the 
girls to graze during the summer months on the fat 
mountain pastures, and the quality of milk obtained is 
found to amply repay the trouble. Butter and various 
kinds of cheese are made from the milk, and the girls are 
further kept busy watching the cattle from straying away 
on the wide mountain slopes. At one saster we visited 



19 

there were only goats, the specialty there being the fam- 
ous Norwegian goat's milk cheese. In the fall, towards 
closing time, when the season's work is about over, the 
monotony of steter life is agreeably broken by visits from 
the valley. If there are several sa^ters close to one another 
and a fiddler available, there may be a dance of a Satur- 
day evening, when the national '^Springdans" and "Hal- 
ling" w^ll alternate furiously, with but short pauses, until 
well into Sunday morning. The former is extremely 
picturesque and graceful and affords both partners an 
equal chance to display their suppleness, grace and 
strength, a noticeable feature being the pirouetting of 
the girl, steadied in the performance by her partner's 
hand. The Hailing is danced by the men alone, and a 
conspicuous part is the finale of high kicking. On the 
boundary stretch between the mountain pastures of the 
two valleys, Valders and Hallingdal, there is a plateau in 
the nature of a common, wdiere the young men of these 
two valleys close the sieter season with an elaborate 
athletic contest entered into by both contingents with the 
most zealous rivalry. If the Norwegian brandy has been 
taken too freely, these peaceful contests have been known 
to assume a fiercer aspect, in which the daggerlike knife 
carried in his belt by every Norwegian peasant, has 
played a part important and even fatal. 

As one proceeds westward through the country with 
its ever-increasing sterility and ruggedness the appear- 
ance of the people seems to be gradually undergoing a 
change — to become more dark and fierce, in keeping with 
the sterner surroundings. The peasant's face bears the 



20 
mark of the incessant struggle required to sustain life ; it 
has the impress of the somber mountain looming threat- 
eningly upon all sides. The face does not smile so easily 
in a narrow valley shut off from the rays of the sun for 
all but a few weeks of the year. In these ill-favored sec- 
tions of the country the commonly held opinion that the 
Norwegian peasant invariably has fair hair and com- 
plexion must be abandoned, for a dark type is here far 
more frequent. In the fjord districts of Sogn and Hardan- 
ger, where the race is said to be unusually pure, one is 
constantly struck with the remarkable beauty as well as 
the fine build of both the men and the women. The 
strength and virility of the race will be best understood 
when J supply the statistics showing the average height 
of the recruit of the S^ndfjord regiment to be six feet 
two! 

These people have remained faithful to their old cos- 
tumes, while the peasants in other parts of the country, 
particularly along the beaten track of foreign travelers, 
have exchanged them for city clothes. The peasant 
costumes can be seen to best advantage on a Sunday, when 
the peasants from far and near come to the little parish 
church in their best attire. The women of Hardanger are 
particularly picturesque in their black skirt, white em- 
broidered apron and white blouse with like embroidery at 
neck and wrist, red bodice edged with ribbon af gay and 
variegated pattern, spangle-jewelry covering the bosom 
from throat down to the breast-piece of artistic heavy 
bead embroidery, belt likewise of bead pattern and fast- 
ened with silver claps, and finally the most distinguishing 



21 

feature of the costume — the broad, graceful, beautifully 
crimped headdress called '^Skaut." 

It is to be hoped that the contact with the outside 
world has not had a deeper- effect upon the Norwegian 
peasant and done away with any of his old-time proverbial 
honesty ! Fredrik Herman Gade. 



Speech delivered at Brands Park, Chicago, May 17th 1903 

on celebration of the day and on ' ' Skandinavisme. ' ' 
Fellow Countrymen: — 

On this our great National Day our hearts first of 
all turn to Norway, our dear and distant country; to 
Norway, which to those who were born and spent a part 
of their life there must always remain in a peculiar sense 
''Home". Our hearts go out to this home, and we see 
visions of this National Day spent there in joyous celebra- 
tion. Whether it is in the city or in the country, the day 
is marked with gladness and festivity. Before our eyes 
rises the country clad in her fresh spring garb — the light 
green of the Birch and Maple — the profusion of wild 
flowers: Blaaveis, Hvidveis, Violets, Marie N0glebaand; 
and even after long years the wonderful fragrance of it 
all comes back to us. All nature is unfolding and devel- 
oping in the balmy spring air with an exultant rapidity 
unknown elsewhere. And there is no lack of light to cele- 
brate this birthday of the country ; for at this season, only 
a month distant from midsummer, there is scarcely any 
night at all — the day is longer than it ever becomes in this, 
our adopted country. Could our National Day possibly 
have come at a more fitting season, so perfectly attuned 
and so beautifully symbolic with its abundance of budding 
spring and rich promise? 

The vision of which I speak recalls to some of you 
the day up in the mountains; to others in a village or 
small town ; while many, with me, see it in the large city 

(22) 



23 

Christiania. Before my mind is the picture of the capital 
city of the country, profusely decorated with national 
colors, and with its streets teeming with a gay holiday 
throng. Not only the large public buildings, but 
every house, even the humblest dwelling, flies its flag. 
Every child carries his own little flag, and young and 
old wear the same colors on the breast. The Students' 
Glee Club are singing the national airs in the quadrangle 
between the University Buildings, the same stirring songs 
that we listen to here today. The popular interest cen- 
ters particularly on the two great processions, that of the 
schoolboys in the morning and that of the men in the 
afternoon. The latter is composed of numerous bodies of 
men of all classes, the only qualification to march being 
patriotism. The procession is led by the dignified body of 
our Storthing, and thereafter follow all associations, 
guilds and labor unions with their respective banners, in- 
signia and bands. Truly a noble procession, and one 
that makes a deep impression upon the onlooker ! 

But it is the boys' procession of the morning which per- 
sistently remains in the foreground of the picture and 
never can fade from the memory. Early in the morning 
they assemble from the oldest about to enter the univer- 
sity to the little tots of the kindergarten, and in the large 
public square each school ranges itself behind its banner 
and in its proper place. The rivalry regarding order of 
march in the procession has been previously settled by 
casting lots. The seniors of each school muster their own 
army and arrange it by classes, so there is a gradual even 
slope of heads from the senior clas^ to the shavers of the 



24 

first grade of the rearguard. To the seniors is also en- 
trusted the honor of carrying the large school banner, but 
every boy, without exception, carries his own Norwegian 
flag. At regular intervals in the procession bands 
are stationed to play the national airs. The excitement 
increases until the lines become a long quivering mass of 
red, white and blue, and when impatience has reached a 
point that theatens to throw the little army into confusion, 
the word is at length given to march. The different 
schools now vie with each other in displaying well-ordered 
ranks to the spectators along the line of march, among 
which there is many a proud parent, not infrequently with 
moist eyes. The procession swings into Carl Johans Gade 
and marches in stately fashion up this principal street of 
the city to the palace. Passing the statue of Carl Johan 
the army stands before the palace gates. A great shout 
of childish voices rends the air, which finally swells into 
the song ''God save our King so good". If perchance that 
good and gracious ruler be there to receive the ovation of 
young Norway, he expresses his appreciation and affection 
in his own truly kingly manner. Descending the palace 
hill the line of march continues past the university, where 
proper homage is paid to this national institution. Farther 
on, reaching the parliament building, a new demonstration 
takes place ; for here tribute is paid to the representatives 
of the people, the real rulers of Norway ,the successors of 
the body of patriots that framed the Constitution at Eids- 
vold on May 17, 1814. Again and again the soprano 
voices are lifted in the strains of ''Ja, vi elsker" and 
*'^0nuer af Norge", Although on the long line of march 



25 

arms begin to sag and little toes to stump the heels in 
front, fatigue is forgotten, and patriotism blazes in every 
eye. The point of destination is finally reached, the large 
open square at the fortress. Here the army arranges it- 
self around the rostrum, which is mounted by one of 
Norway's great orators. The boys are reminded of the 
great events of the original May 17th, of the noteworthy 
deeds done since then to preserve and confirm Norwegian 
independence, and, finally, of the duties that will devolve 
on them as the coming generation of Norway's men 
to keep that independence intact and the honor of the 
country sacred. But above all the great orator and poet 
— you all know whom I mean — reminds the boys that their 
patriotism should be the love of a son for his mother, for 
Norway is the great, kind, loving mother of them all. 

This manner of celebrating our national day is of great 
importance to the citizenship of the young generation. 
The boy from his earliest years is taught to express his 
loyality in song with those of his own age ; he takes part 
in the official functions of the day ; the duties of loyal and 
patriotic citizenship are indelibly impressed upon his 
mind. His celebration of the day is not limited to the 
noise of firecrackers. And to you, my countrymen, I 
earnestly submit whether the custom of our own country — 
the boys' procession — is not worth perpetuating among 
our children here in America. If you yourselves keep a 
lasting and enduring affection for Norway and wish to 
transmit it to your children, you can accomplish it in no 
better way than by having them march in procession as do 
today the boys in Christiania. 



26 

On this day it is customary to speak of the great events 
af 1814, and most properly so; for the celebration of 
May 17th is a commemoration of those deeds, and they 
should receive the most liberal share of our attention. But 
it seems to me that the days in which we live also furnish 
us with reason for joy, pride and celebration. It is a matter 
of wonder to the whole world what our small country with 
its insignificant population is contributing to Arts, to 
Letters, to Science, to Invention and Exploration; what 
our country is doing in all these separate fields of 
distinguished activity. 

When I speak of Letters — Literature, before I mention 
their names, you all know I mean those intellectual giants 
Ibsen and Bj0rnson, who have so largely molded modern 
thought, besides a host of younger writers, whose talents 
are becoming known outside of their own country. 

Our national music, so distinct and original in its cha- 
racter, is wellknown and popular everywhere, with the 
names of Grieg, Kjerulf and Svendsen fast becoming 
classics. 

The pictures of our great artists are eagerly sought af- 
ter, and Thaulow was recently selected with one other 
European artist to come to America and act as judge in 
awarding the prizes at a large exhibition of modern art. 

"When I mention Science and Exploration, I of course 
have in mind first af all Nansen, his worthy successor on 
the ''Fram'' Sverdrup, Borchgrewink of South Polar Sea 
fame, Astrup, whose promising and brilliant career came 
to so untimely an end, and last, but by no means least, 
Amundsen, who at this very time is starting out on an ex- 



27 

pedition of exceptional interest to the entire world. Of the 
latter I speak with peculiar personal interest, because he 
was my classmate at school and is justifying the brilliant 
promise of his boyhood. It is not with any vain-glorious 
craving to set a new arctic record — the spur to so many 
polar expeditions — that he is starting out, but impelled 
solely by an ardor for science: to locate accurately the 
magnetic pole north of the American Continent, that the 
laws which govern magnetic forces should be better under- 
stood not alone for the benefit of science but for naviga- 
tion all the world over. 

And before leaving the subject of Norway's contribu- 
tion to science and invention we may remember that the 
United States Army and most of the militia of America 
are now equipped with Norwegian firearms, the unsur- 
passed Krag-J0rgensen Gun; that Birkeland, beside hav- 
ing expounded new and wonderful theories regarding the 
northern lights, has invented a cannon which may revolu- 
tionize modern warfare. 

Perhaps you do not know with what brightness the 
great lights of our University shine, and how far they 
send their rays? As philologists the brothers Storm are 
known at all seats of learning, and when the wise profes- 
sors of Cambridge and Oxford are confronted with some 
particularly difficult problem in Anglo-Saxon derivation, 
they write for elucidation to Professor Johan Storm of 
Christiania. "While great honors were done last year to 
the memory of the immortal Abel, a mathematician fifty 
years ahead of his time, the lectures of a recent mathema- 
tician at Christiania University were attended by Ameri- 



38 

can students from Boston and San Francisco, by students 
from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of America, who 
went to distant Norway to obtain the best possible in- 
struction in mathematics that the world could afford. 

And our king holds a unique position among the 
monarchs of the world. His varied talents as artist, mu- 
sician, poet and orator are widely known and admired, 
and foreign nations frequently seek his services as arbi- 
trator in their differences, recognizing in him not alone 
the man of exceptional attainments, but one with the finest 
sense of justice. 

The prominence of these names and the importance of 
the achievements I have noted furnish, I think, good rea- 
son for congratulation and celebration today. 

There is at the present time in Norway a movement 
which every day is gaining ground — that of bringing the 
three Scandinavian countries closer together. It is the idea 
of Scandinavian unification, or, as it is termed, '^Pan-Skan- 
dinavisme". It is really no new idea, for at different 
times during the past century it has been urged by one or 
another of the three countries, without, however, estab- 
lishing a very firm foothold. The halfhearted and faltering 
support given to Denmark by the other two. countries, 
when she was attacked by her formidable neighbor Ger- 
many, is the most conspicuous example of its failure. But 
the movement now under way promises better results, for 
it is gaining great popular support in all three Scandi- 
navian countries and certainly not least in Norway. 

In an ovation recently given by the Norwegir.n stu- 
dents at their Students' Society to Prof. Sophus Bugge on 



29 
the occation of his 70th birthday, this celebratedHistorian 
in a remarkable speech of acknowledgment emphasized 
to the students in weighty an eloquent words the advis- 
ability, nay the necessity, of the unification of Scandina- 
vian interests and of mutual support and sympathy be- 
tween the three countries. He demonstrated why the Scan- 
dinavian countries, at one time in the days of the virile 
vikings so respected and feared all the world over, had 
steadily sunk in political importance, until they at the 
present time occupy such insignificant positions as world- 
powers ; and he contrasted with their history the opposite 
course of events in Germany, attributing the latter to the 
grand thought of unification which had obliterated aU 
dividing lines and conflicting interests existing between 
the different German states. 

Bj0rnson has always been in favor of the movement, 
the statement of his detractors to the contrary notwith- 
standing; and no longer ago than last week there ap- 
peared in our Chicago papers a telegram from Norway 
reporting the vigorous denunciation that Bj0rnson in an 
open letter had directed against those extreme radicals 
who by unfriendly and unreasonable measures are seeking 
to lay obstacles in the way of Scandinavian unification. 
Bj0rnson's opposition to Sweden on many occasions, when 
the equal rights of Norway within the union w^ere en- 
croached upon, is not inconsistent with his present atti- 
tude in the matter of Scandinavian unification. With him 
it has alw^ays been a case of ''Not that I love Sweden less, 
but that I love Norway more". 

The movement of which I speak does not involve, at 



30 

any rate at the present time, any idea of closer political 
union, but merely increased respect, sympathy and affec- 
tion for one another, as well as a tacit alliance against any 
aggression from outside that may threaten any one of the 
three Scandinavian countries. Just now it is realized that 
there is a particularly grave danger, of which poor Finland 
may serve as the best warning. The mighty neighbor in 
the east, who looks with jealous eyes upon our ports that 
are free from ice and open to navigation all winter long, 
will miss no chance to advance westward at our ex- 
pense. Scandinavians are more and more realizing that 
the countries when divided will fall an easy prey to this 
encroaching neighbor, but when their forces are com- 
bined they form a unit that commands consideration and 
respect. There are unmistakable signs that Eussia is 
seeking to sow seeds of dissension and discord in Scandi- 
navia and has spies that report to St. Petersburg any 
circumstance that looks favorable to her aggressive in= 
tentions. In the face of such grave danger the Scandina- 
vian countries cannot afford to have differences: to fail 
to establish a bond and alliance for mutual protection is 
nothing short of suicidal. 

As I have already said, the movement is gaining great 
popular support, and the papers give accounts of a large 
association formed of men and women in Norway and 
Sweden called "Br^drefolkenes Vel". And now, Fellow- 
Countrymcn, we can render valuable assistance to this 
movement even in this distant land. Our attitude and 
conduct here towards the other Scandinavian nations can- 
not but have an effect upon events at home in proving 



31 

our sympathy, approval and co-operation, and so I urge 
that we miss no opportunity to entertain and promote 
friendly relations with Swedes and Danes in this country. 
But I have wandered considerably from the real sig- 
nificance of this day, on which, as I said before, our hearts 
go out to our old home, Norway. May they go out in the 
way our great poet has so often urged: As a son to 
his mother! 



Remarks (introducing Frank 0. Lowden and John M. 

Harlan) by F. H. Gade, at the Republican Mass 

Meeting in Lake Forest, 111., October 17th 1904. 

Lake Forest is awake — very much awake, and I am cer- 
tain it will not be permitted to go to sleep again until after 
election. The two Republican Clubs here will make such 
things as apathy, indifference and carelessness absolutely 
impossible. Nobody is to be left uninformed regarding 
the issues of the campaign, and I believe no one will 
escape or in fact will want to avoid going to the polls on 
election day. Lake Forest has, of late, acquired a pretty 
good reputation for turning out or being turned out for 
elections; and the Republican Clubs will see to it that 
this record does not suffer at this most important elec- 
tion of all. 

The two organizations to which I refer are the old 
Shields Township Republican Club, recently revived into 
activity, and the College Republican Club, organized the 
other day amid great enthusiasm and under whose auspi- 
ces this meeting is held to-night. The clubs are allied and 
leagued together; the "town and gown" have settled all 
differences ; and the only complaint heard is that the ma- 
terial upon which to work is scarce — that the Democrats 
are too few and far between. 

In considering the proper field of activity for these 
clubs, it seems to me there is one class particularly, 
against which the efforts of our Republican Clubs may 
be directed most profitably : the persons who are perched 
upon the fence. These roosters should be impelled, 

(32) 



33 

gently, if possible, and if not, then with the requisite 
force, to drop down from that fence, and on the right 
side of it ; and I believe there are not so few of those fowl 
who should be shooed into the Republican flock. There 
are, of course, others — ill-bred fowl on the low ground 
across the fence that it is idle to go after. As some emi- 
nent Englishman once said, ''Some persons have from 
their very childhood been fed with the milk of radical- 
ism or nourished on the strong meat of conservatism till 
a change of opinion would involve a change in their men- 
tal constitution." Ferguson, a Scotch member of the 
British Parliament, in Pitt's time, admitted about him= 
self: '^I have heard many arguments which convinced my 
judgment, but never one that influenced my vote." Now, 
this is exactly the way with some Democrats, dyed deep 
in the wool — ''once a Democrat, always a Democrat", 
and they had better be left alone. 

At its first meeting, the College Republican Club was 
fortunate in being addressed on the political situation in 
a most lucid and entertaining manner by two of our 
highly esteemed professors. It will, however, be of parti- 
cular interest to have the issues presented to us by 
one who is in the very vortex and maelstrom of the 
present historical events; one who is now in the thick of 
the battle ; one of the great leaders and chiefs of the Re- 
publican party; a man whom Lake Forest and Lake 
County hope to see occupy the highest positions in the 
gift of the American people. It is a great privilege for us 
all and an honor to Lake Forest to have speak here to- 
night : Colonel Frank 0. Lowden. 



34 

Our other guest of honor here to-night is a man that 
needs no introduction in Lake Forest. With so large a 
part of his family here, we feel as if he half belonged to 
us. And then, whenever we have a good battle to fight, 
he stands ready to come to our aid in that wholesouled 
manner so characteristic of him. "We remember him on 
this platform just two years ago, pleading for the 
preservation of our beautiful Skokie valley. Our mighty 
neighbor, Chicago, needs for her welfare, improvement 
and sound development, a new charter and appeals to her 
sister cities throughout the State to help her realize this 
ambition at the coming election. We certainly want to 
understand the matter of this new charter, for we are so 
closely tied to and dependent upon this great neighbor 
that her welfare means our welfare. 

There is no one more identified with all that is 
admirable and best in Chicago, no one more competent 
and better qualified to instruct us regarding her needs 
than our good friend, whom we are delighted to have with 
us to-night, John M. Harlan. 



Speech on ''America" delivered at banquet for the Nor- 
wegian Student Singers at the Sherman House, 
Chicago, May 22nd 1905. 

While I naturally would esteem it a great honor under 
any circumstances to speak on this occasion, to address 
these guests of ours, I feel it to be an especial privilege to 
do so when this body of men is headed by Gr0ndahl. The 
great master of song, under whose baton also I piped with 
boyish treble for many years, until he suddenly one day 
announced: ''Gade, your voice is cracking, and you'll 
have to stop ; instead of song you lucky dog may now 
have the hour free!" I did not consider myself lucky; 
for somehow the manner of teaching or the personality 
of the master, or perhaps both combined, had made that 
school hour a treat and not a drudgery. In these distant 
after=years I can trace to those hours of song under Gr0n- 
dahl the germ of the musical feeling and understanding 
that have brought such infinite pleasure in later life. 

As the toastmaster has imposed no restrictions in con- 
nection with the subject ''America' alloted to me, I feel 
at liberty to follow freely the bent of my inclination and 
say a word of fraternal advice to the Norwegian student 
from his brother, the American college graduate. We 
who missed the greatest distinction in the world, that of 
becoming civis academicus in Christiania, and have had 
to content ourselves with the next best thing, that of a 

(35) 



36 

sheepskin from an American University, are none the less 
your full fledged academical brethren. 

*'Ja Br0dre, herligt er vort Kald, 
At vogte Aandens h^ie Alter, etc." 

and as such brother I feel I have the right to talk with 
you in a very direct, nay, outspoken and intimate way. 

Now in coming to this country, as most of you do for 
the first time, you are naturally somewhat confused and 
puzzled as to what to believe about it, the accounts given 
you being so conflicting and contradictory. In the well- 
known poem of ''Flugten til Amerika" occur the impres- 
sive lines: ''Guldet ligger for ens Fod; man bukker sig 
kun for at ta' det". You there had presented to you a 
certain version, which now may cause you disappointment, 
and I am forced to admit that the description in that 
poem was the slightest bit optimistic. On the other hand, 
the Norwegian papers, and particularly the conservative 
ones (which, as we all know, never fail in perfect charity, 
humanity and fairness) have assiduously supplied you 
with exactly the opposite kind of description, abounding 
in tales of most dreadful robbery and murder; — tales 
labeled "Amerikansk," which, if not actually scaring you 
away from the country altogether, at least would cause 
you, as prudent men, to hesitate long and then to take 
out all possible life insurance before coming, and to arm 
yourselves abundantly with revolvers and tomahawks to 
be on equal footing with the ferocious natives. By this 
time, gentlemen (you still look pretty sound and able- 
bodied!) you may have discovered that all of these pre- 



37 

cautions were not absolutely necessary. But 

still, do you know what to believe of America ? 

In your rapid flight over this country, you birds of 
passage (you are barely giving us a chance to listen to 
your melodious note) will notice that the air through 
which you pass is often smoky and foul, that your foot 
cannot easily find a clean place to alight on, at least not 
on our city streets, that the boys threaten with slings and 
stones, — for such is the method of our strikes! If you 
pause long enough, you may also observe many evidences 
of corruption, political and otherwise — much that is not 
as it should be. Brothers, is this all? Is this America? 
Verily, verily no, it is not ; it is only the surface, the mere 
outside of things. If you cannot see beyond it, if you can- 
not reach beneath it, your journey, as far as learning to 
know America goes, will have been in vain. 

For you should know, and if you realy seek, you will 
find, that under the negligence and carelessness and ap- 
parent corruption there is great national earnestness, 
energy and principle, which once aroused, are capable of 
accomplishing any task, however great and difficult. 

That under the vanities and weaknesses of the nation, 
there is an abundant and never-failing store of good na- 
tional common sense, which in the end always asserts 
itself in the determination of any really vital issue. 

That under the capriciousness and fickleness that often 
mark the public's treatment of so-called national heroes, 
lauded to the skies one day, only to be ridiculed the next, 
there is a constant and enduring belief in and reverence 
for truly heroic deeds and lofty ideals. 



38 

That under the pernicious system that centers vast 
fortunes in a few individual hands — the trusts with all 
their attendant evils making for plutocracy, — there is a 
universal grand democratic feeling that demands equal 
opportunities to all and fair play for all — what may be 
called ''The American Spirit '\ 

It is the American spirit that more than anything else 
lays hold of the newcomer and converts him into a good 
loyal citizen of this, his adopted country. May you, while 
here, feel some touch of this American spirit and carry 
away with you some appreciation of it ; for then you will 
have partaken of the greatest blessing this country has 
to bestow ! 



Letter to the President of the United States accompanying 
petition for recognition of Norway's new government 

Lake Forest, June 28, 1905. 
To the President of the United States, 

Oyster Bay, Long Island, 

New York. 
Honored Sir : — 

I beg herewith respectfully to hand you the petition 
of nearly twenty thousand Norwegians residing in and 
near Chicago, asking that you will, at the earliest oppor- 
tunity, signify your recognition of the new Government 
of Norway. 

This government is a de facto government in full, 
complete and peaceable control and possession of the 
governmental machinery and functions of the country, 
was established by the unanimous action of the repre- 
sentatives of the people, and is supported by the entire 
people of Norway. 

Nearly one-third of the entire Norwegian population 
of the world resides in the United States under your care 
and protection, and these citizens of the United States, 
following the events in their old home with the deepest 
interest and concern, earnestly hope that their Country of 
adoption will be the first to accord friendly recognition 
to their Country of birth. 

Most respectfully, 

F. Herman Gade, 
Chairman of Committee having 
petition in charge. 

(39) 



Remarks by F. H. Gade, Mayor, at the last council meeting^ 
of his administration, May 7th 1906. 

In turning over the city administration to our succes- 
sors there are a number of important matters concerning 
the city which seem to deserve some mention : 

The traction issue, I sincerely hope, may be soon dis- 
posed of. Last spring the council was unwilling to grant 
the perpetual franchise asked for by the electric road, 
and, in place of it, passed an ordinance granting a fran- 
chise for seventy-five years, which Mr. Frost declined to 
accept. Since then I have personally made repeated ef- 
forts to secure a different solution of the problem. 
Throughout the entire consideration of the matter I have 
been in favor of granting the electric road the right to 
a double track through Lake Forest; for I believe that 
the company cannot give good service — that, in fact, no 
electric road can do so — without a double track system. 
I further believe that the public both need and want im- 
proved service, and that the interests of Lake Forest 
would be advanced by an additional track, which should 
be granted upon the city's receiving proper compensation 
therefore; that is to say, upon fair and reasonable terms. 
I have been disposed to favor, as the right and logical solu- 
tion of the problem, the granting of an additional track 
for the remainder of the present franchise period, that is 
to say, to make the additional grant co-extensive with the 
company's other grants and rights in Lake Forest. While 
this arrangement would not secure to the city all the com- 

(40) 



41 

pensation and advantages offered as consideration for the 
tHe perpetual franchise, it would entirely avoid the 
troublesome question of additional time, beside other com- 
plications of the relations of the electric railroad company 
to the city. 

During the last couple of years no effort has been 
spared to reach an amicable settlement of the issues be- 
tween the city and the water company. The council has 
passed ordinances, which in its opinion, and I am sure 
also of the public at large, were considered not only rea- 
sonable, but most liberal to the company, involving higher 
compensation for water than paid by any other munici- 
pality along the North Shore. The water company, how= 
ever, constantly changing its attitude in the matter of 
these rates, finally brought the city into court, where the 
vexed question soon should be settled once for all. In 
the meantime private consumers are properly protected 
by the injunction granted by the court restraining the 
company from shutting off the water supply. 

The liquor nuisance should be rigorously and unremit- 
tingly prosecuted ; for the slightest remissness causes this 
serious evil to assume alarming proportions. During the 
past year many more suits have been brought than ever 
before, and during the summer of 1905 the city went to 
considerable expense in employing detectives to collect 
evidence against the offenders. It has, however, proved 
difficult to accomplish any satisfactory and lasting result 
without the co-operation of the community, and I hope 
the citizens of Lake Forest will soon awaken to this fact. 
In many cases, when our policemen have, as they thought, 



42 
secured conclusive evidence against the violators of our 
liquor laws, the witnesses when put on the stand have ab- 
solutely repudiated their earlier statements, and by pre- 
tending to know nothing concerning the offense in 
question , caused the prosecution to fail. Again, sup- 
posedly sensible juries, composed of tradesmen and other 
responsible citizens, have imposed upon offenders con- 
clusively proven guilty the ridiculous fine of five or ten 
dollars, which naturally was not calculated to deter them 
from further violations. It is surprising that professors 
of the University, when requested to do jury duty in these 
cases, have shown such extraordinary want of public 
spirit and interest in the community as to invoke their 
immunity from jury service. The city attorney can say 
a great deal about the obstacles he has met with in his 
faithful endeavors to suppress the liquor evil. 

"While I believe the city cannot afford to dispense with 
the valuable services of Mr. Smoot, who has been its coun- 
sel so long and drafted the majority of its ordinances, I 
think the city needs the services of an attorney who can 
be summoned at short notice and attend to running mat- 
ters as they come up. Prosecutions for violations of the 
iiquor laws, automobile speed laws and other like mat- 
ters need immediate and constant attention such as only 
a resident attorney can give. The retention of Mr. Smoot 
as counsel for the city need not interfere with the 
establishment of a city attorneyship to look after the 
running matters from day to day. 

Lake Forest has of late made great strides in adopting 
street and other improvements, and I think it deserves 



43 

the name that Mayor Gorton used to apply to it: ''The 
Banner City of the West." What is particularly note= 
worthy is that these improvements have recently, in 
nearly every instance, been undertaken not by com- 
pulsive measures of the Local Improvement Board, but 
upon request of the property owners themselves who would 
have to pay the cost. So far from being unwilling to 
incur these burdens, which in many cases have fallen 
heavy upon people of small means, there has been ap- 
parent, in the different parts of the city, positively a spirit 
of rivalry to outdo each other in making these improve- 
ments. It is to be hoped that this splendid spirit of 
civic pride and ambition Avill in no wise abate. 



Tale ombord paa Dampskibet ''Hellig Olav" den 3die 
August 1906 i Anledning Kong Haakons F^dselsdag. 

Mine Darner og Herrer. 

Dette er en Festdag i Norge: det er Kong Haakons 
F^dselsdag. Nastefter syttende Mai er det jo Kongens 
F^dselsdag som feires; og vi husker nok allesammen fra 
Barneaarene, at paa den Dag liavde vi fri fra Skolen. Ka- 
nonerne paa gamle Akershus Fiestning, under hvilke vi 
gik ombord paa dette Skib for akkurat en Uge siden, har 
idag ved Middagstid skudt Salut til ^re for Dagen. Flag 
vaier overalt i Landet lige fra Lindesna^s til Nordkap. 
Jeg er vis paa, at alle vi Normicnd her ombord, paa Vei 
til vort nye Land, gjerne vil mindes Dagen og sende en 
kjserlig Tanke tilbage over Havet til det gamle Fgedre- 
land — til Norge og dets Konge. 

Vi har i Sandhed en Konge, vi kan veere stolt af. Det 
er sjelden, at en Mand forener i sig saadanne Egenskaber, 
som han. 

Af Udseende vakker som faa Mgend: klassiske An- 
sigtstr^k med et Udtryk af stor Yenlighed og Godhed, 
som det passer sig en Konge af Norge — saaledes som 
vi kan tcenke os de fordums Haakoner. Isandhed en kon- 
gelig Skikkelse ! De, som saa ham ved Kroningsceremo- 
nien, glemmer aldrig Synet. Hele bans Mine og Holdning 
udtrykte dybt Alvor og Ansvarsf0lelse — man saa der en 
Mand, som vilde vie sit Liv til sin store Gjerning. 

Vor Konge er besindig, forstandig, klog; det har han 

(44) 



45 

umiskjendelig lagt for Dagen ved enhver Anledning. 
Baade hans Ord og lians Handlinger beviser det. Naar 
ban modtager en Deputation, som uventet overrtekker 
bam en Adresse, svarer ban strax paa en Maade, som vid= 
ner om sjelden Indsigt og Forstaaelse. Da de norsk- 
amerikanske Deputerede bavde Foretra3de for bam i 
Trondbjem, sagde ban, at den Sympatbi, som blev vist 
bam af de udflyttede Norm^end, var bam en stor Hjselp 
og Opmuntrmg i bans vigtige Gjerning. Det b^r vi l^egge 
OS paa Hjerte, Landsmsend, og ikke glemme, naar vi er 
kommen tilbage i det travle Amerika-Liv. 

Kong Haakon bar vel ikke en st^rre Beundrer end 
Bj0rnson — den store Republikaner ! Denne sagde nylig 
ved en Leiligbed, at ban bavde fulgt n^iagtig med, ligefra 
Kongen kom til Norge, og forsigtig lagt Maerke til alle 
bans Udtalelser og Handlinger, som uden Undtagelse viste 
ualmindelig Forstand og Besindigbed. Han tilf^iede, at 
bvis Norge engang skulde bave en Konge, saa kunde det 
ikke bave gjort et bedre Valg i bele Verden. 

Men fremfor alt bar Kong Haakon forstaaet at vinde 
alle Nordmeends Hjerter; og Grunden bertil kan vel ikke 
Vffire tvilsom. Han er jevn og ligefrem. Han bar et godt 
Hjerte. Han er vennes^l, som det sig b^r og b0r en Konge 
i Norge — den Egenskab som vi finder bos de store nor- 
ske H^vdinger fra gammel Tid. Han er bensynsfuld ; ban 
bar Omtanke og Omsorg for de smaa og tra3ngende i Lan- 
det . Alt varsler om, at ban vil blive en sand Landsfader. 

Nu idag, naar ban bar fuldendt den Reise ban bar 
gjort gjennem Landet for at logre sit Folk at kjende og 
forat forstaa dets Bebov og Tarv, og feirer sin fj^rste 



46 

Fjz^dselsdag i det nye Hjem, hvor han allerede er saa af- 
holdt, lad saa os forene vore Tanker og Hjerter med dem 
derhjemme i Norge i Loyalitet og Hengivenhed. Held 
og Lykke for Kong Haakon, hvem Gud beskytte og 
bevare ! Lad os tolke dette 0nske i et nidobbelt Hurra 
for Konojen. 



Tale for Kapt. Roald Amundsen ved Nationalforbundets 
Banket i Pierson's Hall, Chicago, den 4de Nov. 1906. 

Mine Herrer! — Vi er m^dt her iaften for at h^dre 
Kaptein Roald Amundsen. F0rst og fremst hilser og lyk- 
^nsker vi ham og takker ham som Norma^nd, fordi han 
Aar bragt ny Glans og nyt Ry til gamle Norge. Hans Be- 
drift har igjen vendt hele Verdens Opm^rksomhed paa 
vort lille Land langt deroppe i Nord med en Befolkning 
saa stor som Chicagos, — det lille Land, som gj0r sig gjcel- 
dende paa alle Omraader — i Literatur, Kunst, Musik, Vi- 
denskab og Opdagelser. Gjennem Gj0a-F£erden liar Norge 
nu igjen bidraget noget af Betydning for hele Verden. En 
epokegj0rende Begivenhed er sheet i Videnskab og Hi- 
storie. Roald Amundsen har givet Verden et nyt Bevis 
paa, at om en Stordaad skal udf^res, maa der en Nor- 
mand til for at gj0re det. 

Amundsens Foretagende har to Sider: Nordvestpas- 
sagen er fundet, og der er gjort store videnskabelige Op- 
dagelser. Det kan vasre af Interesse at vide, hvilken 
af disse to, han selv anser som den vigtigste. 

Nordvestpassagens Gjennemseiling er vistnok det mest 
i0inefaldende, det som Folk strax hefter sig ved. Det 
er jo den Bedrift, som de fleste Polarforskere har fors0gt 
at udf^re i fire Hundrede Aar, og mangfoldige Penge og 
mange Menneskeliv har disse Fors^g kostet. ^ren for 
Nordvestpassagen tilh^rer endelig en Normand, og til 
Nordvestpassagen vil altid vsere knyttet Navnet Amund- 
sen og Norge. 

(47) 



48 

Den anden Side er det videnskabelige Udbytte. Herom 
kan Kaptein Amundsen ikke na^rmere udtale sig, f^rend 
ban bar aflagt sin Rapport for Det Geografiske Selskab i 
Kristainia. Men sikkert og vist er det, at naar bans Ob- 
servationer er studeret og bekjendtgjort, vil der ikke laen- 
ger herske nogensombelst Tvil om den magnetiske Nord- 
pols Beliggenhed, og bvorvidt den er stillestaaende eller 
ikke, Sp^rsmaal af stor Vigtigbed for Videnskab og 
Sj^fart. Det er jo passende, at Normt^nd, Jordens f0rste 
Sj0folk, skulde skaffe L0sning paa disse Gaader. 

For Amundsen var den videnskabelige Efterforskning 
det virkelige Formaal og Nordvestpassagen kun en Bi= 
sag. Dette kan jeg selv bevidne, som var saa beldig at 
b0re Kaptein Amundsens Udtalelser f^r ban begav sig af- 
sted fra Norge. Da ban bavde forklaret Expeditionens 
videnskabelige Formaal og n^iagtig udviklet sine ombyg- 
gelige Planer i Forbindelse bermed, lagde ban til noksaa 
lunt og ligegyldig: ''Ja, bvis det saa skulde traeffe sig, 
at vi kommer tilbage fra den magnetiske Pol ad Nordvest- 
passagen, saa vilde jo det vsere bra og f orn0ieligt. " 

Dette Amundsens Syn paa Sagen forekommer mig at 
vaere noget af det mest ngevnevagrdige og beundringsvaer- 
dige ved hele det store Foretagende. Det viser, at det var 
besj aglet af Trangen til at udrette noget af sandt viden- 
skabelig Vasrd og af Nytte og Gavn for bele Verden, ikke 
af ^rgjerrigbed efter at slaa en Rekord. Net op i disse 
Dage ser vi andre, som fors^ger at vinde Ry og Ber0m- 
melse ved det alene at traenge l^ngst nord og derved 
saette en ny Rekord. Vor Landsmand bar bavt et b^iere, 
st0rre, vjerdigere Formaal. 



49 

Man omtaler ofte Kaptein Amundsen som en alminde- 
lig Sj^kaptein. Men man ved ikke, at han i lang Tid 
studerede sine Opgaver i Tyskland. Man ved ikke, at 
han nu vil tale i Berlin paa Tysk, i London paa Engelsk 
og i Paris paa Fransk, og at han saa endog vil holde et 
illustreret Foredrag for Eskimoerne paa King Williams 
Land i deres eget Sprog. Kaptein Amundsen har, siden 
han ankom til Chicago, faaet saa mange Beviser fra sine 
Landsmsend paa den Glaede og Stolthed, vi f0ler ved at 
have ham her iblandt os, at det er overfl^digt for mig at 
sige noget videre derom. At han har sat Pris paa det 
Velkommen, han har faaet, vil tydelig fremgaa, naar jeg 
fortaeller, at for at vsere her tilstede ikveld blandt sine 
Landsmaend har han maattet omlaegge sin Reiseplan og 
sl0ife sit Bes0g til "Washington og Amerikas Praesident, 

Mine Herrer, jeg har den store ^re at udbringe en 
Skaal for Kaptein Roald Amundsen. 



Skaaltale: ."Damerne" ved den norske Kvartetklubs 
Banket i Chicago den 19de Januar 1907. 

Mine Darner og Herrer : 

Naar man mindes den sjeldne lyriske Stemning, som 
besja:4ede vor nu saa meget savnede Tom Kolderups Ord 
for Damerne, kunde man let blive modl0s og lade sig 
afskrgekke fra Fors^get ; men saa er man paa samme Tid 
uvillig til at frasige sig et saa ^refnldt Hverv. Og jeg 
f0ler dybt, at dette Opdrag virkelig er Aftenens st^rste 
^re. 

Hvert Land paa Jorden tror sig at besidde den ideale 
Kvinde, og Digterne synger hendes Pris i gl0dende Lov- 
ord. Goethe, Schiller og Heine skildrer den h^ieste Ger= 
manske Kvindelighed. Dante fremstiller hos sit Hjertes 
Dronning den sydlandske Fuldkommenhed. Tennyson 
har skabt efter Englagnderens Sind og Hjerte visse yn- 
dige Kvindeskikkelser, som er ud0delige. Longfellow har 
skjcenket Amerika den h0it skattede Evangeline. 

Hvad er der nn at sige om den norske Kvinde — staar 
hun tilbage for nogen af disse andre ? Nei, visselig ikke ; 
og vi ved, at hverken Wergeland eller Bj0rnson har for- 
staaet at gj0re hendes Yndighed, Deilighed, Fuldkom- 
menhed Fyldest. Den norske Kvinde er i mange Hen- 
seender enestaaende: Hvor i Verden finder man saadan 
Aandrighed som hos hende ? Hvor i Verden har Kvinden 
saadan Indflydelse paa Landets og Folkets Skjgebne som 
i Norge ? Hun er nu, i lige Antal og med samme Begeist- 

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51 

ring som Manden med i det storartede Foretagende at 
stifte Nordmandsforbundet — at knytte et Sambaand 
mellem alt norsk over hele Jorden. Hvor finder man Side- 
stykke til den Fa?drelandskj^rlighed og Opofrelse, som 
den norske Kvinde lagde for Dagen i de sidste spa^ndte, 
farlige Tider i Norge? 

Hvor finder man endelig en lierligere Skikkelse end 
den kjgekke og uforfa^rdede norske Kvinde, som staar ud- 
over Fjeldet paa Ski — i Sandlied, den nordiske Valkyrie ! 

Denne herlige Kvinde er med os i Aften. Hun gj0r 
OS stolt og lykklig ved at vasre vor Dame ved Bordet og 
i Dansen. 

Mine Herrer, jeg liar den ^re at udbringe Damernes 
Skaal ! 



Tale for Minister Christian Hauge ved Nationalforbundets 
Banket for ham i Chicago den 16de Mai 1907. 

Mine Herrer: — 

Vi er samlet her iaften for at h^dre eg ^nske Vel= 
kommen til Chicago Minister Christian Hauge. Helt fra 
Washington er han kommen hid for at vcere sammen med 
OS, sine Landsmsend, paa Norges Festdag, for at feire med 
OS den 17de Mai. 

Dette er en Begivenhed ; thi det er f^rste Gang, at en 
norsk Minister gj0r noget saadant. Og saa er det jo og- 
saa Norges f^rste Eeprgesentant i Amerika — i denne 
Verdensdel ; den f^rste i Rang og den f^rste, som virkelig 
h^rer alene Norge til. 

Minister Hauges Komme hid har ikke liden Betydning. 
Det viser f^rst, at der nu er en norsk Minister, som 0nsker 
at kjende sine Landsmaend og staa i fortroligt Forhold til 
Nordmffindene i Amerika. Det viser ogsaa, at Norge paa 
sin Festdag ikke glemmer os, sine ndvandrede Sinner; 
men igjennem sin Repraesentant sender os en hjertelig Hil= 
sen og forsikrer os om, at paa 17de Mai gaar Hjerterne 
derhjemme ud og forener sig med os — Udflytterfolket. 

Fra hvad han vil se her i disse Dage, kan Minister 
Hauge bringe Besked tilbage : at skj0nt vi er gode ameri- 
kanske Borgere, saa glemmer vi dog ikke det gamle Fag- 
dreland, men bevarer det altid i kja^rlig Erindring. Han 
kan endog fortaelle, at vi feirer 17de Mai endnu bedre, end 

(52) 



53 

de gj0r det hjemme: at vi begynder Festlighederne Da- 
gen forud. 

Der var Tilfredslied overall blandt Nordma^ndene her 
i Landet, da det blev bekjendt, hvem den norske Regje- 
ring havde udseet til sin Repr^sentant i Washington. Og 
denne Mening er blevet end mere almindelig, eftersom 
man har la^rt ham bedre at kjende, I New York taler man 
endnu med Begeistring om bans Bes^g der ifjor. 

Vi ved, at Norges Interesser nu varetages paa allerbed- 
ste Maade — at Norge i Washington vil opnaa alt, hvad 
dets Ret og Va^rdighed kraiver. Vi glider os over, at 
Norge her i Landet liar en Mand, som vil rcpra^sentere i 
Ordets fulde Betydning. 

Vi har heller ikke noget hnod, at denne Norges Repra3= 
sentant er en a^gte norsk Skikkelse — h^i, velbygget, 
kraftig, ligesom ban ogsaa er jevn, ligefrem, vennes^el. 
Det er os kjt\?rt, at Norges Reprassentant er va^rdig saa- 
velsom elskvaerdig. 

Mine Herrer, jeg har den iEre at foreslaa Minister 
Hauges Skaal! ■ 



Speech for America at "Syvende Juni" celebration at 
Wicker Park Hall, Chicago, June 7th 1907. 

Ladies and Gentlemen; Fellow countrymen of Norway 
and America : — 

This being Norway's great day, the thoughts of f^ood 
Norwegians will naturally dwell upon tlie great event 
that made it such, and their hearts will lovingly go out to 
the distant country of their birth across th(? sea. America 
should therefore not intrude unduly or lay too much claim 
to attention; and I shall be very brief. The custom has, 
however, become established among us Norwegians here in 
America, on our Norwegian national holidays, never to 
forget our new country ; and it is an excellent custom. To 
observe it is in fact only the part of good, loyal American 
citizenship. After glorifying the achievements of our an- 
cestors on the 17th of May and of the new-born Norway 
on June 7th it is only right and fitting that our thoughts 
should return to our present country and home, to the 
country that is giving us all that is dear to us in life, 
where our children are born, and where we hope and pray 
they will live happily after we have passed on. 

Norway owes a great debt of gratitude to the United 
States. We are certainly all aware that there also is a debt 
the other way — that America owes much to Norway. Nor- 
way has supplied and is still supplying what America 
readily admits is one of her best elements of population, 
an element that stands for industry, law and order. Great 

(54) 



55 

parts of this country have been developed and built up 
by Norwegian sinew and muscle. The Norwegian 
nationality is supplying the brains to govern separate 
states of the Union as well as to shape the policies of the 
whole country in its highest councils in AVashington. So 
we must recognize — and we do it with pride and satis- 
faction — that the debt from America to Norway is large. 
But I repeat : Norway has very much for which to thank 
America. 

First, the purely material side of the question: hun- 
dreds of thousands of dollars are ever}^ year sent from 
America to Norway and bring comfort and happiness to 
many needy ones over there. This money is earned and 
saved in America, it is the resources and opportunities of 
America that make such earning and saving possible. 

But Norway has received something better and greater 
than this from America. It has received from America 
encouragement and inspiration for the ideas that have 
entered into the growth and development of the Nor- 
wegian nation, that have made Norway what it is today. 
We all know that the Norwegian constitution was largely 
modeled upon the American, in providing for the most 
liberal and democratic institutions, that vested all real 
power and authority in the people itself. The old king- 
dom of Norway inherited from the young republic of the 
United States that which for nearly one hundred years 
has enriched and proved a blessing to the Norwegian 
people, who in consequence must ever feel a debt of gra- 
titude as well as relation of kinship to the United States. 

But it did not stop with that. During all this time and 



56 

in ever-increasing degree Norwegian national sentiment 
has been influenced by the liberal ideas of America. The 
internal political development in Norway discloses an 
uninterrupted growth of democracy and popular govern- 
ment. There is no better proof of this influence from 
America than the former attitude, now happily changed, 
of the Norwegian Conservative Press, which used to lay 
at the door of America every evil influence likely to bring 
about a change, and which never missed a chance to say 
something mean or slurring about America. The influence 
came in a number of different ways, and chiefly by the 
accounts of Norwegians returned from America and by an 
endless stream of letters from the new world. I believe 
the American influence was an important factor in the' 
successive steps in the development of Norway's liberty, 
which finally culminated and found the fullest expression 
in the events of June 7th, 1905. 

We can not blind ourselves to the fact that there are 
great evils and abuses in America, that there is much 
which should be corrected and reformed. We know that 
there are great dangers that beset this country in the com- 
bination of vast capital and in the amassing of huge pri- 
vate fortunes — corporate aggression and individual 
greed; that the confederation of labor is often misled to 
violence by unscrupulous agitators, who, so far from being 
its friend, are labor's worst enemy. We see an abundance 
of vicious journalism, which, appealing to the passions and 
prejudices of men, raises class feeling and incites to crime. 
We see machine politics and boss rule, corruption in high 
places, murders and lynchings. 



57 
But in the face of all this we also know that there is a 
limit to these evils, where American public opinion 
steps in and protests; that the American people, good in 
heart, sound in core, rises in its might and makes the 
evils cease. The splendid American spirit could not be 
better personified than, as it is today, in the chief execu- 
tive of this nation, who vigorously, without fear or favor 
corrects abuses and punishes wrong-doing, whether it be 
committed by capital or by labor. This American spirit 
insures to us all in this country ' ' a square deal. ' ' As long 
as it endures we may all be proud to belong to this nation 
as the first on earth. 



Tale ved Idraetsforeningen ''Sleipners" Folkefest i Brands 

Park, Chicago, den 19de Juni 1907 — Betyd- 

ningen af 7de Juni. 

Dette er f^rste Gang jeg deltager i en af ''Sleipners" 
Fester, og det er mig da en sserlig stor Gl^de at faa v^ere 
med her iaften. Jeg vil f^rst faa Lov at lyk0nske Klubben 
med hvad den har udrettet. Fra en liden Begyndelse har 
den i L0bet af 12 Aar vokset sig op til en maegtig For- 
ening med betydelig Virksomhed og et anseligt Medlems- 
antal. For Idr^ttens Fremme har Klubben gjort meget, 
og i forskjellige Slags Sport har den vundet glimrende 
Seire. Den var den f^rste norske Forening, som gjorde 
Alvor af Sk^itesporten her i Chicago ved at holde aarlige 
Kapl0b paa Nytaarsdag i Humboldt Park. Det var Med- 
lemmer af ''Sleipner," om de end optraadte under Nav- 
net ''Milwaukee Athletic Club", som deltog i Styrkepr^- 
ven (Tug-of-War) ved St. Louis Udstillingen. Og det var 
''Sleipner," som ved at slaa Brooklyn, nylig vandt Ver- 
dens-Mesterskabet i denne Sport 

Det er overfl^dig at omtale Idr^ttens Vigtighed; thi 
vi ved allesammen, at uden et sundt Legeme kommer man 
ikke langt her i Verden. Denne L^rdom har vi hjemmefra 
Norge, hvor man ofrer saa megen Tid og Opmaerksomhed 
paa Gymnastik for Gutter og Piger fra de tidligste Barne- 
aar. Jeg husker godt det gamle latinske Motto, som stod 
over Gymnastiksalen paa Skolen i Christiania: ''Mens 
Sana in corpore sano" — en sund Sjsel i et sundt Legeme! 
Ved at udvikle vore Legemer igjennem Idrast og Sport 

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59 

faar vi en 0get Arbeidskraft for ethvert Foretagende, vi 
blir bedre og nyttigere Borgere, og vi faar et liengere og 
lykkeligere Liv. 

Men det er ikke alene paa Idreettens Omraade, at 
''Sleipner" bar indlagt sig Fortjeneste. Den bar andre 
gedle Formaal, nemlig at Medlemmerne ved gjensidig Un= 
derst0ttelse skal staa hverandre bi i Sygdom og N0d. Den 
bar gaaet i Spidsen med at b^itideligbolde vore nationale 
Festdage. Da Nationalforbundet i 1902 undlod at bolde 
den vanlige Folkef est paa 17de Mai, var det ' ' Sleipner, ' ' 
som fik istand den vellykkede Fest i Aurora Hall, hvor 
Stat ens Guvern0r, dengang Yates, holdt Talen. Og ifjor 
jL±j.df0rtes den nye, rosvserdige Skik, at f eire Norges anden 
store Dag — den 7de Juni. 

Det er ikke bare i Chicago eller Amerika, at '' Sleip- 
ner" er kjendt; men i selve fjerne Norge er dens Navn 
agtet og taknemmelig erindret. Da den store Storm ifjor 
Vinter havde bragt Forlis og Ulykke til Fiskerne i Lofo- 
ten, var det '' Sleipner," som sendte en Pengegave hjeni 
til de N0dlidende, som i gamle Norge ikke vil glemmes 
paa lang Tid. 

Den syvende Juni er nu forbi, men denne — Norges 
anden store- Nationaldag — giver Stof til TcTnkning Aaret 
rundt. Paa denne Dag sattes Slutstenen paa Norges Fri- 
hedskamp, og Norge blev f^rst et belt frit og selvst^en- 
digt Rige. 7de Juni 1905 var ikke andet end en naturlig 
F0lge af 17de Mai 1814 ; tbi det store Maal, som Ftedrene 
bavde sat sig paa Eidsvold, men ikke magtet belt at saette 
igjennem, blev da endelig opnaaet. Det norske Folk i sit 
Stortbing bsevdet Landets Grundlov. 



60 

Unionen mellem Norge og Sverige var aldrig liverken 
naturlig eller hjertelig, og istedenfor at bringe et godt 
Forhold mellem Landene, havde den akkurat den modsatte 
Virkning. Norge gik ind i Unionen uvillig, og Sverige 
var kanske lige skuffet paa Grand af den Ligestilletlied, 
som Unionen medf^rte, istedenfor et svensk Overherre- 
djz^mme. Nedigjennem Aarene kom saa en hel E^ekke Riv- 
ninger, dels med Sverige som F^lge af forskjellig Opfat- 
ning af Unionen, og dels med Kongen, som ved Mangel 
paa Forstaaelse af Norge som Regel var at betragte som 
alene svensk Konge: Adelens Afskaffelse, Statholdersa- 
gen, det absolute Veto i Grundlovssager, Flagsagen og 
endelig Konsulatsagen. 

I hele dette Tidsrum gik de to Landes Udvikling i vidt 
forskjellig Retning; tlii medens Sverige haardnakket 
holdt fast paa sine forasldede Institutioner, traengte 1 
Norge demokratiske Ideer igjennem; og den store Af- 
stand, som oprindelig fandtes imellem de to Folk, blev 
stedse st^rre istedenfor mindre. ivian vil derfor let indse, 
at denne Union bar i sig Spiren til sin egen Undergang. 

Konsulatsagen bevirkede da endelig Bruddet. Efter 
lange Forhandlinger troede man sig at vasre kommet til 
en Forstaaelse, da Sverige pludselig forandrede Front 
ved at stille som Betingelse for Konsulatlovens Gjennem- 
f0relse Vilkaar, som vilde paatrykiie Norge et umiskjen= 
delig Lydrigestempel. Forliandlingerne blev da afbrudt, 
og Norge besluttede at gjennemf^re Konsulatsagen paa 
egen Haand, som en Sag, der if^lge Grundlov og Rigsakt 
vedkom det alene; og Ministeriet Michelsen blev dannet 
med dette som bestemt Program. Konsulatloven blev 



61 

enstemmig vedtaget af Storthinget og enstemmig indstil- 
let af Regjeringen; men Kongen naggtede Sanktion. Mi- 
nistrene indgav sine Afskedsans^gninger, og Kongen til- 
stod, at lian ikke kunde skaffe Norge en ny Regjering. 
Dermed var en uholdbar Situation fremkommet : Kongen 
kan if^lge Grundloven ikke regjere uden et ansvarligt 
Raad, og Landet stod derfor uden lovlig Regjering. Saa 
kom Storthingsbeslutningen af 7de Juni. Kongen var 
afsat og Unionen f0lgelig opl0st. 

Naar man tcenker paa de Overgreb og det Overmod, 
som blev vist fra svensk Side under Unionen, b0r man 
vel bema?rke, at det ikke skyldtes det hele svenske Folk, 
men en forlioldsvis faatallig Klasse, som vi pleier at kalde 
''Storsvensker." Og vi b0r altid erindre, at under Krisen 
efter Unionsopl^sningen viste det svenske Folk i det store 
og hele taget ikke noget fiendtligt Sindelag mod Norge, 
men insisterede tvertimod paa, at Striden skulde afgj^res 
i Mindelighed. Og fra Sverige, isser fra Arbeiderforenin- 
gerne, kom der utallige Beviser paa Sympathi, Velvilje 
og Hengivenlied for Norge. 

Hvordan kunde nu et saadant revolution^rt Skridt — 
tlii man liar benaivnt Opl^sningen af Unionen en Revolu- 
tion — hvordan kunde det lykkes i Norge ? Norge traadte 
ud af Unionen under hele den civiliserede Verdens udelte 
Beundring og Tilslutning. Skyldtes det ikke den ene- 
staaende Statsklc^gt — Forening af Omtanke og Beslut- 
somhed — hvormed Sagen fortes igjennem af Folkets 
H^vdinger, Michelsen, L0vland og Berner? Jo, visselig ! 
Skyldtes det ikke Hasrens og Flaadens Beredthed, Fiest- 
ningerne og Graensevagten ? Jo, visselig! Men fremfor 



62 
alt laa Grunden deri, at det norske Folk for f^rste Gang 
stod enig, samdraegtig, samlet i Fylking fra Landsende 
til anden; dette Folk, som ellers er saa tilb0ielig til poli- 
tisk Partistrid, Diskussion og Kamp. Naar et Folk er saa- 
ledes forenet og samlet og udviser en saadan Offervillig= 
lied og brtendende Faedrelandskjagrlighed hos store og 
smaa, Magnd og Kvinder, da er dets Vilje og Kraft uimod- 
staaelig. Og denne Offervilliglied var ikke indskraenket 
til selve Norge; den fandtes hos Norges S0nner overalt i 
Verden. Her fra Amerika fandt denne Offervilliglied 
Udslag i utallige Tilbud ikke alene af Penge, men af Liv, 
hvis det skulde trj^nges for Norges Frelse. Vier vis paa 
det, Landsmaend, at om Normsendene, enten det er i Norge 
eller her, vil staa sammen enig og samdrregtig, kan de 
opnaa, livad det saa skal vsere, vil de altid vinde frem 
til Seier. 



Tale ved Sjsinner af Norges Midsommerfest i Minneapolis 
den 23de Juni 1907. 

Norske Landsm^end i Tvillingbyerne ! 

Vi er her samlet til Midsommerfest — til St. Hansfest. 
Nylig liar vi feiret vore to store Nationaldage, 17de Mai 
og 7de Juni, saa at vi nu altsaa holder Fest for tredie 
Gang. 

At vi aldrig glemmer 17de Mai, det siger sig selv. Den 
Dag har vi jo feiret lige fra de tidligste Barneaar, og for 
mange af os er vel den stolteste og lykkeligste Erindring 
fra de Aar dengang da vi f0rst fik v^re med at marschere 
i Guttetoget med Flag i Haanden til ^re for Dagen. Her 
i det fjerne Amerika opva?kkes hvert Aar paa 17de Mai 
vor Faadrelandskjierlighed for gamle Norge, og vi h0iti' 
deligholder Dagen, som de gj0r derhjemme. 

Men Dagen liar ogsaa en videre Betydning for os som 
gode amerikanske Borgere. — Vi h0rer saa ofte det, at 
man her i Landet 0nsker Norm^nd velkommen som et af 
de allerbedste Elementer i Amerikas Befolkning, fordi vi 
er arbeidsomme, stra^bsomme, ^rlige, fremfor alt, fordi vi 
er lovlydige. Hvis dette sidste er sandt, og vi virkelig for- 
tjener Ros som lovlydige, maa det skyldes den Omstaen- 
dighed, at vi kommer fra et Land med gode Love, Love 
som indgyder Respekt og fortjener at adlydes. De frie og 
demokratiske Institutioner, som skabtes ved den norske 
Grundlov, liar kanske gjort mere end noget andet til at 

(63) 



64 
forberede og skikke os til Forholdene og Livet her i Lan- 
det, til godt amerikansk Borgerskab. 

Og saa var det 7de Juni. Denne Norges anden store 
Nationaldag er neppe af mindre Betydning end 17de Mai ; 
thi paa denne sattes Slutstenen paa Norges Frihedskamp, 
og Norge blev f0rst et belt frit og selvst^endigt Rige. Det 
store Maal, som Faedrene havde sat sig paa Eidsvold, men 
ikke magtet belt at saette igjennem, blev da endelig op- 
naaet. Det norske Folk i sit Storthing basvdede Landets 
Grundlov. 

Og nu bar vi Midsommerdagen — St. Hans. Hvilke 
Minder vgekker ikke denne Dag og denne Nat! Vi vil 
kanske heller tsenke paa Norge, som det er ved St. Hans, 
end paa nogen anden Tid i hele Aaret. Da staar Norge i 
sit fagreste Flor — i Festskrud. Det er Midtpunktet af 
den nordiske Sommer og H0idepunktet af denne Sommers 
Fagerbed og Ynde. Naturen viser sin ypperste Livskraft, 
L0vet er friskt, Graesset staar gr^nt og frodig, og utallige 
Blomster pryder Eng og Mark. Fra Sneen og Brseerne 
paa Fjeldet gaar Elve og Baekke endnu i brusende Flom 
og Fossefald ned imod Fjorden. Fuglene synger sin gla- 
deste Sang — Maaltrostens dybe Tone fra n^ert Hold 
friges af Gj0kens skye Galen l^ngere borte i Skogen. 

Kan I ikke kjende den liflige og kvasgende Duft fra 
Mark og Skog : 

"Jeg drev i Skoven en Sommerdag, 
Da Solen stod h0it i Sky, 
Og slentred afsted i Ro og Mag^ 
Hvor L0vskyggen gav mig Ly. 
Mig glaedede Trgeerjies lyse Dragt^ 



65 

Den brogede Blomsterbund. 

Jeg ssenked mit Sind i dens Sommerpragt 

Og f0lte mig stserk og sund. 



Og Insekters Summen og Fuglesang 
— Det sang i mig selv derved — 
Jeg lytted til, som jeg gik min Gang, 
Og kom saa til Bgekkens Bred." 

Og kan I ikke se, hvorledes Stuerne er pyntet til St. 
Hans? Friskstr^et Gran og Eneba3r paa Gulvet og frisk- 
skaaret Birk ved Indgangen. Ja Birken, den lysegr0nne, 
sitrende Birk, er kanske Norges allervakreste Prydelse. 

"Jeg stod i Birkenes h0ie Sal, 
Mens Midsommerdagen heldet. 
Der tindrede Dugg i dyben Dal^ 
Det skinned som Guld af Fjeldet." 

Og saa Sommerlyset, som man ikke kan finde Mage til 
i Verden ! 

"Luften er skinnende, blaalig hvid, 
det er Midsommersol og Middagstid." 

Og den vidunderlige norske Sommernat er endnu 
m^rkvaerdigere, den Nat i livilken Lyset ei slukkes, men 
varierer i tusinde Farver, der forgylder Fjeldene og spel- 
ler sig i Fjord og Sj0. 

"Da er det i Midsommers Nat 
Aftenens og Morgnens R0de 
over Norges Fjelde brat 
favne sig i himmelsk M0de." 

Linger nordpaa kommer aarlig Tusinder af Pilgrim- 
mer for at tilbede Solguden, som da regjerer i Norge. 



66 



Denne Hyldest er i sin fulde Orden, da St. Hans i den 
hedenske Tid var Midsommerblot, hvor man, for at vinde 
hans Gunst og faa god H0st, dyrket Balder, den lyse 
Solgud. 

Ser I ikke endelig Baalene, som bra^nder paa alle Hai- 
der, disse Bins, hvormed Daler og Bygder hilser hver- 
andre og jubler over den norske Sommers Fuldkom- 
menhed ? 

St. Hans er Kjgerlighedens, Elskovens Tid. I den nor- 
ske Sommernat er det, at Hjerterne sastter hinanden 
Stievne og finder hinanden som paa ingen anden Tid. 

"Min Pande er saa hed som Blodet vildt. 
Mit Hjerte svulmer fuldt af Dr0mmens Skat. 
H0r L0vets Sus! Hvor Luftens Drag er mildt! 
O tause, varme, elskovsrige Nat! 



Jeg knapt kan aande — Her er M0dets Sted 
Bag dette m0rke, blomstertunge Krat, 
Hvor Hjertet slaar — Jeg h0rer lette Fjed, 
O tause, varme elskovsrige Nat!" 

I kjender det gamle Sagn, at ved St. Hans skal Pi- 
gen plukke 9 Slags Blomster, deriblandt en Johannes- 
blomst, og naar hun saa logger den under Hovedpuden, 
faar hun idr0mme se sin Elskede. 

Det er ikke alene Menneskene, som glider sig over 
Midsommertiden, men overjordiske og underjordiske Vce- 
sener vil ogsaa v^ere med. Trold, Huldre og Nisser, som 
gamle Norge er saa rigt befolket med, ialfald i gamle Sagn 
og Eventyr, vil 0ve sit Djaevelskab og ture St. Hans, men 



67 

kommer da altid skammelig tilkort paa den hellige St. 
Hansnat, hvori f0dtes, if0lge Kirkens Traditioner, Johan- 
nes den D0ber. 

Kong Haakon valgte denne Tid paa Aaret for Kronin- 
gen — den h0itidelige Handling, som skulde indlede Nor- 
ges nye ^ra. Akkurat et Aar siden idag var jeg tilstede i 
Trondhjem ved en storFolkefest som denne, hvor det nor- 
ske Folk tiljublede den nykronede Konge sin Hyldest og 
Hengivenhed. Og den evige Dag der nordpaa i Trond- 
hjem var symbolsk og gav ligesom et sikkert L0fte om, at 
Norge aldrig igjen vilde styrtes i en Afhaengigheds og 
Ydmygelses Nat. 

Og nil igjen har man hjemme i Norge valgt denne 
samme Tid til Gjeimemf0relse af den store og vakre 
Tanke, hvorom fa^drelandssindede Ma^nd og Kvinder har 
samlet sig: at stifte et Normandsforbund, som vil knytte 
en Broderkjaede mellem Norma^nd overalt i Verden, 
Denne Tanke, som nu ved St. Hans blir til Virkelighed 
hjemme i Norge, skulde ogsaa vinde Gjenklang i norske 
Hjerter i Amerika. 

Lad OS paa denne Midsommerdag, i denne Tid, som er 
saa rig paa store Foretagender og Minder, som er saa f yldt 
med Poesi og Skj^nhed, da selve Naturen har klsedt Lan- 
det til Fest, lad os da, lad alle gode norske Hjerter enes 
om at sende en kj^rlig Hilsen tilbage over Havet til vort 
gamle Hjem og Fasdreland — det underdeilige Norge ! 



Tale for (Norge) Michelsen ved Sangforeningen Bj^rgvins 
25 Aars Jubilaeum, Chicago, d. 2den Juli 1907. 

Vi har h^rt meget om Norge i det sidste. Paa de to 
store Nationaldage har vi erindret de store historiske Be- 
givenheder i 1905 og 1814. Vor uforlignelige historiske 
Authoritet, Dr. Doe, f^rte os endog i sit sidste Foredrag 
tilbage lige til Stenalderen. Og saa ved St. Hans var 
der Midtsommerfester, hvor vi priset den norske Sommers 
Fuldkommenhed — Norge, som vi kanske heist vil tasnke 
paa det, i det fagreste Flor, i Festskrud. Hvor meget 
man end holder af gamle Norge, er det derfor ikke saa 
nemt nu at holde en Tale og sige noget nyt eller interest 
sant. 

Men jeg tror, at man asrer gamle Mor Norge, naar man 
erindrer og serer Navnene paa hendes bedste Sinner, og 
jeg vil skille mig fra dette Hverv her iaften ved at ntevne 
et saadant Navn, ved at sige et Par Ord om Norges f^rste 
Borger, som tillige er Bj^rgvins £edle S0n : Christian Mi- 
chelsen. 

Der behaves ingen udfjzirlig Biografi af denne Mand; 
thi vi ved allesammen, hvad han har udrettet. Vi ved, at 
uden ham som H^vding var aldrig de forskjellige, hinan- 
den skarpt modstillede Partier, blit samlet og forenet til 
det store Frigj0relsesv£erk. Vi ved, at uden bans ene- 
staaende Statskl0gt vilde det ikke lykkedes at opnaa alle 
andre Landes Sympathi og Tilslutning. Vi ved endelig, 
at om ikke Michelsen i Karlstadforhandlingernes mest 

(68) 



69 

spasndte Tid havde vist den st^rste Bestemthed og Fast- 
hed og insisteret paa de 24 Timers Frist, i hviike han vilde 
faa et Mirakel til at ske, vilde det kommet til blodig 
Krig med vort Naboland. 

Det hele kan vel ikke udtrykkes bedre og vakiere, end 
Bj0rnson gjorde det i sin Hilsen til Miclielsen paa bans 
50de F^dselsdag : 

"Du laa paa Utfasrd fra din Ungdom av, 

Din Skute seilet over alle Hav; 
Din klare Tanke lyste Vei fra Stavnen. 
Men da vort Statsskib mistet sit Befal, 
Da steg ombord du som Storadmiral 
Og styret lige ind i Folkefavnen." 

Man siger, at Bergenserne er et eget Folkefa3rd — et 
besynderligt Folkef^rd for sig selv — uligt Eesten af 
jSForge. Det kan vcere, at der er noget sandt i dctte ; men 
saa tror jeg ogsaa vi faar tilstaa, at vi ikke kommer langt 
uden at have dem med. I norsk Musik, tffink bare paa 
Navnene Ole Bull, Grieg og Sangens store Laerer og Le- 
der Behrens. Hvad vilde den norske Scenekunst vasre 
uden Bergen — den vilde jo saagodtsom ikke eksistere. 
Og saa i Literaturen : Fjz(rst og fremst vor ud^delige Hol- 
berg, som saa Lyset og voksede op ikke i Danmark, men i 
Bergen; og dernsest det store Digterpar Welhaven og 
Wergeland ; thi da den sidstes Far var Sogning, faar han 
vel ogsaa regnes for Bergenser. Er ikke Norges Skibs- 
fart og Handel grundlagt og opfostret af de maerkvaer- 
dige Forretningsfolk, som nedstammer fra de gamle Han- 
seatere i Bj0rgvin? 



70 

Og endelig, skal en Stortdaad udf^res, maa man ikke 
i 1814 s^ge en Christie og i 1905 en Michelsen i Bergen? 

Og Michelsen slog ikke Feil, men adlydende Folkevil- 
jen kom han ifra sin mangesidige Virksomhed i Bergen, 
ligesom Cincinnatus i gamle Dage forlod Plogen for 
at tjene sit Faedreland. Han viede sine storartede Ev= 
ner og Kraft, sit hele Liv, om det skulde trgenges, til 
Norges Frelse. 

Landsmcend, det lader til, at det norske Folk fra et 
enigt og samlet hele utrolig hurtig s^ger Anledning til 
Strid og Kamp og splitter sig i Partier. I Norge sy- 
nes det, som om man med en sjelden Lethed glemmer 
store Bedrifter og Fortjenester. ^rgjerrighed og Let- 
sindighed forener sig i Fors^get paa at styrte en Re- 
gjering, som man skal have den st^rste Vanskelighed for 
at erstatte. 

Lad OS her i dette fjerne Amerika ikke glemme saa 
let ! Lad os haabe, at det endnu maa undes Norge l^nge 
at beholde som Regjeringens Chef, som Folkets H^vding, 
Bj^rgvins aedle S^n Christian Michelsen. 



Tale for Kaptein Roald Amundsen ved Banketten for 
ham i Congress Hotel, Chicago, d. lite Nov. 1907. 

Mine Herrer Normaend i Chicago: — 

Et Aar siden var vi ogsaa saaledes samlet for at hge- 
dre vor Landsmand Kaptein Roald Amundsen. Dengang 
kom han lige fra sin Stordaads Fuldendelse og passerede 
gjennem Chicago paa Veien ^stover — hjemover til gamle 
Norge, det Fasdreland, paa hvis Navn han havde kastet 
ny Glans, hentet fra de fjerne Polaregnes vidunderlige 
Nordlys. Og I husker nok ogsaa, at dengang, for at 
tragffe os sine Landsm^end her i Chicago, omlagde hai7 
sin Reiseplan og opgav sit Bes0g hos Amerikas Pragsident. 
Det har vi saam^n ikke glemt i L0bet af det forgangne 
Aar! Efter det Kjendskab han fik til os ifjor ansaa han 
det bedst denne Gang at gaa f0rst til Washington og Prse- 
sident Roosevelt. 

Nu iaften, naar vi har ham tilbage blandt os, 0nsker 
vi ham et endnu hjerteligere Velkommen, bringer vi ham 
en endnu inderligere Hyldest. 

Siden han var her ifjor, har Kaptein Amundsen baade 
hjemme og i fremmede Lande paa en glimrende Maade 
gjort Rede for Expeditionens rige videnskabelige Ud- 
6ytte — de store Resultater i praktisk saavelsom theore- 
tisk Henseende. Hans stolte og taknemmelige Fgedreland 
skj^enkede ham f^rst al mulig Haeder og ^re; og deref- 
ter kappedes Keisere, Konger, Fyrster og Videnskabs- 
selskaber om at overuse ham med ^resbevisninger. 

(71) 



72 

]\Iine Herrer, det er ikke alle disse ydre Tegn paa 
Anerkjendelse og H^der, som ligger til Grund for vort 
Velkommen her iaften. Nei, det er fordi vi nu tilfulde 
liar la^rt at forstaa hans store Daads liele Betydnmg og 
Vigtighed. 

Vi har ogsaa havt Anledning til at anstille Polarforsk- 
ning i ham; og idet vi liar la^rt ham bedre at kjende, har 
vi gjort f^lgende Opdagelse: 

At lian ikke alene har gjort fuldstasndig Rede for 
den magnetiske Pol, men at han selv ud0ver magnetisk 
Tiltrai^kningskraft af sjelden Art. Vi opdager, at vi 
uimodstaaelig tr^ekkes magnetisk til hans jsevne, lige- 
fremme, elskvaerdige Personlighed. 

Nordvestpassagens Fuldendelse har paany givet Ver- 
den en La^rdom om Norge og Nordmsend. Efter at Eng- 
Isendere i store, veludstyrede Skibe og med al den Hjaelp 
som en msegtig og rig Nation kunde stille til deres Raa- 
dighed, havde gjort Fors0g paa Foretagendet i 400 Aar 
forgjseves, var det en liden norsk Skude, mandet med 
Normagnd, som maatte til for at vinde frem til Seir. 

Vi finder ny Anvendelse for de fra vor tidlige Barn- 
dom saa velkjendte Linjer, vi f^ler deres Betydning med 
ny Stolthed: 

"Da var det den engelske Stormand stolt 
B0iet Knse for den Norske Lods." 



Tale ved Festen i Orchestra Hall, Chicago, i Anledmng 
Bj0rnsons F^dselsdag, 27de Nov. 1907. 

Norske Mgend eg Kvinder i Chicago. — 

Idag er der Fest i gamle Norge; men der er ogsaa 
Fest i det udflyttede Norge. Normrend overall i Verden, 
spredte som vi er i alle Lande og paa alle Have, samles i 
^n Tanke: at lyk0nske og lia^dre Norges f0rste S0ii. Vi 
f0ler, at det ikke alene er en M^rkedag i den store Dig- 
terkonges lange og bevasgede Liv, men at det ogsaa er en 
Mgerkedag overalt, hvor det norske Sprog tales, overall 
hvor norske Hjerter slaar for Faedrelandets Storhed og 
Fremgang. 

Af ens Mor og i ens Fgedreland faar man i Barne- 
aarene Indtryk og Lgerdomme, som man bevarer gjennem 
hele Livet som noget af det bedste, man eier, og for hvilke 
man heller aldrig oph0rer at elske den Mor og det Fae- 
dreland. Vi f0ler, at ligesom det gamle Feedreland med 
sine dyrebare Erindringer altid forbliver vort, saa er og- 
saa Bj0rnson altid vor. 

Det er nu femti Aar siden Bj0rnsons Digtergenius ka- 
stede sine f0rste Straaler udover Norge. Gjennem ''Syn- 
n0ve Solbakken", "Arne" og ''En glad Gut" Igerte han 
OS den norske Bonde at kjende. Han aabnede belt D0ren 
til bans Stue og viste os ham, som han talte, t^enkte, f0lte. 
Han skabte Synn0ve, sit Kvindeideal med de enkle og 
rene Linjer saa sandfserdig ud af det norske Land og 
Folks Egenskaber, at hun blev belt national, den fagre- 
ste norske Kvindetype. Paa samme Tid ved at l0fte den 

(7SJ 



74 
norske Bondes Liv op i Kunstens H^ihed og Skj0nhed, l^f- 
tede han den norske Bonde op til rigere Forstaaelse og 
Selvbevidsthed ; og den norske Bonde var for ham det 
norske Folk. 

Fra Bondefortaellingerne gik han over til vor Saga og 
gamle Historie. Han viste os de gamle Haakoners og 
Olafers stolte Tid, da Norge var det f^rste og fornem- 
ste af de tre nordiske Riger. Ved disse herlige Minder 
fra vor gamle Uafhtengighedstid vilde han v^ekke det 
norske Folk til Leengsel efter nyt nationalt Liv. Han 
vilde, at det norske Folk skulde skabe sig de gamle 
Haakoners og Olafers Tid paany. 

Men Bj0rnson gik ustanselig videre. I en Rsekke glim- 
rende Va^rker kj^empede han mod Fordomme og Trang- 
synthed. Han fordrede Tolerance og absolut -^rlighed og 
Sandhed i off entlig saavelsom privat Liv ; og han forlangte 
og satte ogsaa igjennem, at Kvinden fik den Stilling i 
Samfundet, som tilkom hende. 

Endelig er han vor store Skald. Gjennem hele sit 
Liv har han givet os en Uendelighed af Sange, som vi og 
vera B^rn og Sl^gterne efter os altid vil bevare som 
vor bedste Skat og Eie. Mange af disse Digte er fulde af 
Opmuntring og Tr^st for det nedtrykte Menneskehjerte, 
andre er besjselet af en gl^dende Patriotisme, som har op- 
ildnet og altid vil opildne til Daad og Opofrelse for Fae- 
drelandet. Men han har ogsaa forstaaet os, Udflytterfol- 
ket, og i Arnes Laengsel efter at komme ''Over de h^ie 
Fjelde" har han tolket vor Udfaerdstrang. 

Hvem kan nogensinde glemme det, som har h^rt og 
seet Bj^rnson holde Tale ? Den kraftige, skjVnne Kjaem- 



75 

peskikkelse, den rungende Stemme, den brusende, uimod- 
staaelige Veltalenhed! En har sagt om ham: ^'Bj^rn- 
son spiller altid for fuldt Orgel, det klinger som af et Or- 
kester." 

Men det, som vi takker og elsker ham mest for, er, 
at han altid uden Forbehold har givet sig selv. Der har 
ikke VEeret en Begivenhed af nogen Betydning i Norge, 
som ikke han har taget Del i. Gjennem hele sit Liv har 
han vgeret inderlig sammen med sit Folk og i Fremgang 
og Modgang trofast delt godt og ondt. Hans hele Liv 
har vseret viet det norske Folk, og derfor er han som in- 
gen anden vor Tolk, vor Kepriesentant, vor Fanebaerer, 
vor store Hjzivding — Norges f^rste S^n. 

Skaldens H0itidsstund kan ikke bedre feires end 
ved Sang. Lad os da alle, ildnet af Digterens m^egtige 
Stemning, besjslet af Fa^drelandskj^erlighed, synge bans 
og vort Lands store Nationalhymne, saa Klangen maa 
naa lige til Norge og til ham, Skalden, den evigunge 
Olding, der han sidder og lytter iaf ten ! ' ' 



Tale for Den Norske Kvartetklub ved dens 18-Aarsfest i 
Chicago den lite Januar 1908. 

Mine Darner eg Herrer : — 

Vi er atter samlet til Aarsfest. Kvartetklubben kan 
glcede sig over et andet Aar lykkelig fuldendt med godt 
og rigt Udbytte. 

Ved en saadan Anledning kaster man uvilkaarlig Blik- 
ket tilbage over det svundne Aar og betragter det som bar 
vffiret af sasrlig Interesse for Klubben. Vi finder da, at 
meget er haendt siden vor sidste Aarsfest, baade det som 
bar bragt Gloede og det som bar bragt Sorg. 

For norske Sanger e, ja for alle, som elsker norsk Mu- 
sik, bar der vaeret ikke saa lidet Sorg. Den norske Mu- 
sikverden, bosat som den jo er i Amerika ligesaavel som 
i selve Norge, bar lidt uerstattelige Tab. 

F^rst var det om Vaaren, at vi mistede en, som var 
lige fremragende Pianistinde og Komponist. Og vi f0lte 
endnu dybere Sorg over Agathe Backer-Gr^ndabl, fordi 
vi kjender og holder af ham, som stod ved bendes Side. 
Han, som vi ser op til som den store forstaaelsesfulde Le- 
der og Tolk for norsk Sang; ban, under bvis Taktstok 
nogle af os sang lige fra de tidlige Barneaar; ban, for 
hvem vi fik ny og for^get Hengivenhed og Taknemmelig- 
hed, da ban for et Par Aar siden f^rte den Sanger- 
skare, som gav os saa megen sand Nydelse og Glsede, og 
som var en Inspiration for Kvartetklubben og alle norske 
Sangere i Amerika. 

(T6) 



77 

Saa, lidt Igengere hen, blev Nordens st^rste musikalske 
Lys udslukket, det Lys, som fra vort lille Land har over- 
straalet hele Verden. Alle andre tilsammen har ikke gjort 
norsk Musik saaledes kjendt udenfor Norge som Grieg. 
Han var isandhed den norske Musiks uforlignelige Re- 
praesentant ; thi han var norsk i hver Tone. Han var den 
norske Musiks store bankende Hjerte. 

Endelig b^r der ogsaa naevnes en, hvis Bortgang ny- 
lig fyldte os med Vemod, en som vi holdt af, fordi han ved 
sine sjeldne personlige Egenskaber var saa meget mere 
end bare Konge. I Kong Oscar havde nordisk Musik al- 
tid en ivrig Dyrker og sand, varm Ven. 

Men Kvartetklubben har ogsaa havt meget at gl^de 
sig over. Vi kan med rette vasre stolte over, at et Medlem 
af vor Klub er valgt til den fremragende og serefulde 
Stilling som President for Nationalforbundet. Og vi, som 
kjender ham, ved, at Forbundet i Birger Osland har faaet 
en sjelden dygtig og foretagsom Leder, som sikkerlig vil 
f0re det frem til nyttige og store Gj0remaal. 

Som Medlemmer af Kvartetklubben tror jeg, vi har 
god Grund til at lyk^nske den og hverandre med dette : 
at den stedse har sat sig som Maal og tillige opnaaet det 
som Bj0rnson i sin Hilsen til os forleden Dag paamanede : 
'^at holde fast ved de Idealer, som Musiken uvilkaarlig 
logger i Eders Sind." 

Og derfor, naar jeg udbringer Klubbens Skaal, kan 
jeg ikke 0nske den noget bedre end, at den altid vil ved- 
blive at mindes Bj0rnsons Ord og holde fast ved sine 
skj0nne Idealer. 

Mine Damer og Herrer : Kvartetklubben leve ! 



Tale for Det Norske Nationalforbund ved dets Fest i 
Bj^rgrvins Hall, Chicago, d. 17de Februar 1908. 

Mine Darner og Herrer! 

Det Norske Nationalforbunds Formaal er: ''At samle 
de norske Foreninger til Nationalitetens Bedste; efter 
Evne at st^tte norske Foretagender i nationale eller 
veldsedige 0iemed, og saavidt mulig underst0tte traen- 
gende Norm^nd.'^ 

I Sandhed en stor, betydningsfuld og rosvEerdig Op- 
gave, og en Opgave, som Forbundet ogsaa I0ser paa den 
smukkeste Maade. 

Chicago er den na?st st^rste norske By i Verden, idet 
kun Norges Hovedstad har flere norske Indvaanere — 
Antallet af Norma3nd i Chicago, naar medregnes de af 
norsk Herkomst, maa vel anslaaes til omkring et Hun- 
drede Tusen, I disse Dage h^rer naesten liver Mand til 
en eller anden Forening, Klub eller Selskab, og Kvin= 
der har fulgt Eksemplet ved at stifte sine egne Forenin- 
ger. Naar nu alle disse Foreninger blir Medlemmer af 
Nationalforbundet, vil saagodtsom hele den store norske 
Befolkning i Chicago vasre der reprgesenteret — og naar 
Delegaterne da bringer sine forskjellige Foreningers An- 
skuelser til det store Raad, vil man faa Chicago-Normagn- 
denes samlede Mening. Forbundet vil derved blive Tolk 
for den norske Nation her, det vil blive dens Storthing. 
Og did vil vi engang komme; Retningen er der, og Far- 
ten er upaaklagelig. 

Forbundet er den rette til at forestaa nationale Til- 

(78) 



79 
stelninger. Denne Pligt har det da ogsaa opfyldt paa en 
meget tilfredsstillende Maade ved at gjennemf^re Fest- 
ligholdelsen af 17de Mai og ved at arrangere andre Fe- 
ster, naar nationale Begivenheder kr^ever det. 

Forbundet byder velkommen og viser Gj^stfrihed mod 
ber^mte Normaand, som bes^ger Chicago. Da Amundsen, 
efter netop at have fuldendt den maerkelige Fgerd, som ka- 
stede slig Glans over Norge, kom til vor By, fik han en 
saa festlig Modtagelse af Forbundet, at han tilsidesatte 
Amerikas Prjesident for at kunne vasre sammen med sine 
Landsmgend her. Og det var Forbundet, der skaffede os 
som ^resgj^est sidste 17de Mai Norges f^rste egne Re* 
pra?sentant her i Landet, den j^vne, vennessele, prsegtige 
Mand, som vi alle fik saa kjger, han, hvis Bortgang vi nu 
s0rger over, ikke alene som et stort Uheld for vort Fsedre- 
land, men som et personligt Tab for alle os Normsend i 
Amerika. Denne vor Sorg blev da ogsaa vakkert tolket 
i det Budskab, som Forbundet sendte til hans Enke og 
til Norge. 

Paa den vgerdigste Maade har Forbundet repr^e- 
senteret Chicagos Norm^end udad. Den Deputation, som 
bragte dets Lyk^nskninger til det nykronede Kongepar 
i Trondhjem, gjorde et udm^rket Indtryk hjemme i 
Norge. 

Forbundet iler strax til Hjselp, naar en Ulykke haen- 
der, enten det er her eller hjemme. Jeg skal bare naevne 
den betydelige Sum Penge, som blev sendt herfra til de 
N0dlidende efter Aalesundsbranden. Og nu skal det jo 
ogsaa vsere med paa en Tilstelning til Indtaegt for det 
forulykkede norske Bjzfrnehjem, 



80 

Endelig, hvis en Fare skulde true vort kjsere Faedre- 
land, vilde Forbundet stille sig i Spidsen for den Und- 
s^tning og Hjaelp, som maatte tnenges herfra. Dette blev 
bevist under Unionsopl0sningens kritiske Tid, da Forbun- 
det kaldte sammen det store Massem^de i Auditorium, 
hvor det saa tydeligt blev lagt for Dagen, at Normsendene 
i Chicago var villige til at ofre, ikke alene sine Penge, men 
ogsaa sit Liv, om det skulde tra^nges til Fi^drelandets 
Frelse. 

Det norske Nationalforbund liar ikke staaet stille 
— stadig liar det gaaet fremad. Under en dygtig Sty- 
relse liar det afhjulpet hvad tidligere var et stort Savn 
ved Oprettelsen af et Arbeidskontor — et varigt og vak- 
kert Minde om Pr^esident Abraliamsens Administration. 
Arbeidskontorets Virksomhed i sit f^rste Aar liar For- 
bundet, takket va3re Hr. Bergans utrattelige Iver, den 
st0rste ^re af. Iscer i denne Arbeidsl0shedens Tid liar 
Kontoret frelst mange af vore Landsmjrnd fra N0d og 
Fortvilelse — det kan jeg som Konsul forta^le om. 

Men, mine Herrer, betydelig og rosvaerdig som dette 
Forbundets Arbeide liar v^eret, vil jeg sp0rge : Kan der 
ikke udrettes mere? Kan der ikke indvindes en end 
st0rre Arbeidsmark ? Jeg tror bestemt, at Forbundet kan 
Vfere til endnu st0rre Gavn og Glsde for os Norma^nd her 
i Chicago ved end yderligere at vedligeholde Forbindel- 
sen med gamle Norge og derved stadig styrke os i den nor- 
ske Nationalitetsf0lelse. 

Vi Normtend her i Amerika er med Rette regnet for at 
vsBre gode, loyale amerikanske Borgere, men det kan vi 
vasre samtidig som vi vedligeholder og fremelsker Slaegts- 



81 

f0lelsen og den aandelige Forbindelse med Norge. Ja, jeg 
vil endog sige, at Bevarelsen af Norskheden i os gj0r os 
til bedre amerikanske Borgere; thi kun ved den kan vi 
udvikle det bedste i os selv og yde vort Bidrag til Aands- 
udviklingen i Fremtidens Amerika. Det er fra Norge, 
at vort Aandsliv naturligen faar sit Pr^g, og derfra vil 
det da faa det meste af sin Kraft og Nasring. Vi traenger 
netop derfor de Impulser, som Forbindelsen med Norge 
bedst kan give os. 

Denne Forbindelse med det gamle Land kan bedst op- 
naaes gjennem Normandsforbundet, som netop er det rette 
Organ i dette 0iemed, og jeg vil derfor benytte denne An- 
ledning til at henstille til Nationalforbundet, at det tager 
under Overveielse, hvorvidt det ikke burde slutte sig til 
det andet Forbund. Normandsforbundets Formaal er at 
vedligeholde Forbindelsen og styrke Samholdet mellem 
Norma^nd i og udenfor Norge. Der er i dette Formaal in- 
tet, som strider mod Nationalforbundets Opgave; tvert- 
imod, de svarer n0ie til hinanden, fordi de begge vil ud- 
vide Arbeidsmarken for den nationale Evne. Den Tanke, 
som ligger til Grand for Normandsforbundet, og hvorom 
faedrelandssindede McTnd og Kvinder baade i Norge og 
Amerika bar samlet sig: ''at knytte en Broderkjagde mel- 
lem Norm^nd overalt i Verden og danne et virksomt Hele 
af de spredte norske Kraefter," denne store og vakre 
Tanke kan og b0r ikke andet end vinde Anklang i norske 
Hjerter her i Chicago. 

Kan Nationalforbundet tabe noget ved et saadant 
Skridt? Vil det vaere til Hinder for dets Arbeide eller 
f ormindske dets Vaerdighed eller Indflydelse ? Nei, langt- 



82 
ifra. Nationalforbundet vilde ikke ofre noget af sin 
Uafhsengighed — dets Organisation og dets Virkefelt vil 
blive uforandret. Forbindelsen vilde vgere ^refuld i 
enhver Henseende for begge Parter. Normandsforbun- 
det ''has made good." Fra en liden Begyndelse bar det 
vokset sig frem til et anseeligt Omfang, nu vist med et 
Medlemsantal af henimod 30,000, spredte over hele Jord- 
kloden. Flere Hefter af dets fortrseffelige Tidsskrift er 
udkommet med Indhold af st^rste Interesse for Nor- 
mgend overalt i Verden. Mange norske Foreninger paa 
andre Steder i Amerika bar meldt sig ind. Efter lang og 
moden Overveielse kommer nu Sp0rsmaalet til Chicago, 
og da f^rst og fremst til Nationalforbundet. 

Jeg er vis paa, at Nationalforbundet vil gj^re det ene- 
ste rette i denne vigtige Sag, baade til Gavn for os selv 
og til Glgede for vore Br0dre hjemme i Norge og overalt 
ellers i Verden. 

Mine Herrer, vor lille Nation med en Befolkning af 
St0rrelse som Byen Chicagos udretter det som ingen an- 
den gj0r. Den ssetter sit Pr^eg paa Verden i ethvert Vir- 
kefelt, i Literatur, i Kunst, i Musik, i Videnskab, i Opda- 
gelse. Ogsaa her i Landet kan vi udrette store Ting, bare 
vi vil gj0re tilskamme, hvad en bar kaldt den ber^mte nor- 
ske Uenighed, bare vi vil holde sammen og ''I0fte i 
Flok". Det er dette, som Nationalforbundet skal ssette 
igjennem. 

Mine Herrer, Nationalforbundet leve ! 



Tale ved Det Norske Tabitha Hospitals Koncert i Wicker 
Park Hall, Chicago, den lite Marts 1908. 

Mine Darner og Herrer : — 

Dette er en Mgerkedag for Tabitha Hospitalet, en Masr- 
kedag, der afslutter et s^erskilt Afsnit af Hospitalets Hi- 
storie, det sidste Feni=Aar af dets Tilv^erelse. At dette 
Tidsrum har bragt store og gleedelige Resultater, det ved 
vi alle ; og at Hospitalets Gjerning omfattes med dyb In- 
teresse af Norm^endene i Chicago, viser tydelig denne 
store Forsamling af norske Magnd og Kvinder iaften. 

Det er i Sandhed vigtige og betydningsfulde Aar, som 
har bragt saadan Fremgang — Udvidelsen af Hospitalets 
Virksomhed og dets for^gede Anseelse. Det er jo ikke saa 
vanskelig at forstaa Grunden til denne glgedelige Frem- 
gang: en dygtig og sindig Styrelse, kompetente og op- 
ofrende L^eger og Sygepleiersker, men fremfor alt : Enig- 
hed. Naar jeg ncevner Enighed, saa er det ikke for at 
minde om den ulykkelige Tid, da det modsatte af Enig- 
hed var Tilf^ldet, men for at fremhceve den store An- 
erkjendelse, som Hospitalet fortjener, fordi det lykkelig 
har overvundet de Farer, som truet dets Tilvgerelse og der- 
ved naaet did, hvor det staar idag. 

Kommer en Fremmed og sp0r: Hvad er Tabitha-Ho- 
spitalet, hvad vil han da f aa til Svar ? Jo, i^rst og f remst, 
at det er en norsk Institution, belt igjennem norsk i en- 
hver Henseende. Stiftet af Normgend, styret af norske 

(83) 



84 
Mgend og Kvinder, med norske Lseger og Sygepleiersker 
og med en Virksomhed, som kommer vaesentlig den norske 
Befolkning her i Byen tilgode. 

Endvidere, at det er en Institution som ikke er af- 
haengig af noget Kirkesamfund eller forbundet med no- 
get politisk Parti. Dets ene store og herlige Gj0remaal er 
at helbrede Sygdom og afhjgelpe N0d. Det h0rer den 
store norske Befolkning til, uanseet Trosbekjendelse, 
Samfundsklasse eller Parti. 

Vi ved, at Tabitha=Hospitalet tilh0rer saavel fattig som 
rig. Har en fattig Stakkar intet at betale med, slipper 
ban ind alligevel, hvis N0d virkelig er forhaanden. Og 
trods at saaledes en betydelig Del af dets Gjerning er 
uden Godtgj0relse, har Hospitalet klaret alle sine For- 
pligtelser. 

Tabitha-Hospitalets Tilblivelse og V^xt viser tydelig 
et Karaktertragk hos Normgendene — deres uafladelige og 
opofrende Omhu for sine syge og fattige. Dette finder 
man overalt, hvor Normgend har slaaet sig ned ude i 
Verden. Det hunger n^ie sammen med vor Nations dybe 
religiose F0lelse, som bevirker, at saasnart et norsk 
Settlement er kommet lidet Gran i Orden, reiser Nybyg- 
gerne en Kirke, for derefter at bygge et Hospital, et Bar- 
nehjem, et Alderdomshjem. — Derfor staar Tabitha Ho- 
spitalet som et vakkert Monument over Normgends God- 
gj0renhed og Offervillighed. 

Paa samme Tid er det en stadig Paamindelse om, at vi 
kommer af en Nation saa kraftig og trofast mod sig 
selv, at den med sine egne Institutioner som dette Ho- 



85 
spital, Tidgj^r et eget og agtet Samfund, som i de nye 
Omgivelser ikke kan forsvinde. 

Medens vi e r gode loyale amerikanske Borgere i 
Amerika, vil vi dog bevare den bedste Del af vor Norsk- 
hed, og derved ogsaa altid forblive gode Normaend. 



Speech at dinner of Board of Trustees of the Deerfield 

Township Highschool, Highland Park, 111., 

May 11th, 1908. 

It is a great pleasure to be here tonight. It is na- 
turally a pleasure to me personally to be welcomed to my 
duties on the Board in such a cordial way and to have the 
chance to make these acquaintances under such delight- 
ful circumstances. This is also a fitting manner of cele- 
brating the gratifying consummation of our High School 
arrangements. 

The question of a High School was for a long time a 
great problem to Lake Forest, and the satisfaction was 
therefore correspondingly great when the solution was 
found in Highland Park. "We in Lake Forest are pleased 
and proud to have our boys and girls come to this magnifi- 
cent institution for a liberal education. There were in 
the "beginning legal obstacles to the arrangement, which 
were disregarded by both sides on account of their appre- 
ciation of the mutual advantages gained by so doing. Mr. 
Sandwick 'Hook the bull by the horns '\ In the course of 
time, as the benefits and advantages became plain to 
everyone in Lake Forest, the legal obstacles were removed 
and the whole matter put in unassailable shape to the ge- 
neral satisfaction of our community. 

The arrangement means something more than a bond 
of practical and economical utility. It ties together two 
communities on this North Shore that we all, and I 

(86J 



B7 
think with much justification, believe to be quite unique. 
In this western country they are in the vanguard in adopt- 
ing all measures of municipal improvement and progress. 
They both deserve the name which a former Lake Forest 
mayor used to delight in applying to our town : They are 
the ''banner cities" of this section of the country, and 
having this distinction in common, it is highly fitting and 
proper that we should bind them more closely together. 

Some day, through the marvelously quick settlement 
and development of this North Shore, the whole terri- 
tory between Highland Park and Lake Forest will be 
built up, and I have no doubt that you Highland Parkers 
will have designs on all this territory. I am reliably 
informed that you the other day attempted to force an 
unwilling and protesting neighbor into your corporate 
limits, and so, I suppose, your adoption of our young 
Lake Forest citizens into your school is the first step 
toward the incorporation of our entire city into High- 
land Park. 

I am proud to come from a country which, to a most 
remarkable degree, is setting its impress upon the world 
in making itself prominent in every field of activity — 
literature, art, music, science and exploration, and all 
this with a population the size of Chicago's. You know 
well the names of Ibsen and BjVrnson in literature, of 
Thaulow and the other representatives of Norwegian Art, 
of the composers Grieg, Svendsen and Kjerulf, of the 
great artic explorers Nansen and Amundsen, the last of 
whom recently discovered the North Magnetic Pole and 
completed the Northwest Passage, a feat that Englishmen 



88 
had been trying to accomplish for more than four 
hundred years. I am often asked to what this singular 
prominence and activity of Norwegians are due. After 
having given the matter much thought I arrived at the 
conclusion, which makes me answer : to Norway 's exceptio- 
nal school system. There is not time here tonight to ex- 
plain this at any length. Our Norwegian School system, 
while modeled largely upon the German, has developed 
certain remarkable features of its own. You all know that 
manual training in this country was copied from ''sl0yd'* 
in the Scandinavian schools. Gymnastics occupy an im- 
portant part in the curriculum. The Norwegian school is 
uncompromising in regard to learning certain things by 
heart, things about which there cannot and should not 
be unneccessary reasoning. In Norway, where there is a 
State Church and ^'religion" is one of the regular 
school courses, Luther's Catechism must be absolutely 
committed to memory, but the rules of the Latin grammar 
are regarded with nearly as much respect and reverence. 
In fact, we always suspected our Latin teacher, who bore 
the classical name of Plato, and who also taught us reli- 
gion, of giving preference to the Latin grammar both 
above Luther's Catechism and the Bible. 

But the most distinctive feature of the Norwegian 
school system is the care and attention given to the in- 
dividual, and this applies from the entrance into school 
at the age of six until the pupil graduates twelve years 
later in passing his examinations for the University. The 
excellence of this system of individualistic care and at- 
tention was emphasized the other day by President Eliot 



89 
of Harvard in the speech he delivered to the Teachers' 
Association of Indiana, and he recommended it par- 
ticularly for the High School, if it is to fulfill its proper 
mission and hold the interest of the pupil throughout the 
entire course and make him ambitious to graduate. He 
said: ^' there is one function of the teacher which is 
higher and more influential than helping the weak, 
namely, developing the strong, giving the superior child 
it's chance, leading it on faster and faster to freer and 
nobler efforts. There should be in all our democratic 
schools division of the quick children from the slow, of 
the able children from the dull." He points out the 
small percentage that graduate out of the entire High 
School attendance, and the other day in attending my 
first meeting of this Board I was much interested to have 
this fact verified by the statistics of this school. In Nor- 
way this care and attention to the individual continues 
through life; for after they have graduated from school 
the state grants stipends to promising young men in every 
branch to continue their studies abroad, so that they, 
each in their specialty, may enjoy the utmost chances that 
the whole world can offer. The two great literary lights 
Ibsen and BjVrnson were both recipients of such stipends. 
And it is not only literary men, musicians, artists and 
scientists that enjoy this parental care of the state, but 
even young men showing special aptitude for business are 
supplied with the means to go abroad and study business 
methods in the most advanced countries. 

My first connection with America, now just twenty 
years ago, was the American High School, which gave me 



90 

a year's preparation for Harvard College. It was the 
first splendid privilege I enjoyed as a citizen or rather 
a prospective citizen of this country, and the value of 
which to me then could not be overestimated. Now 
I become connected with the American High School 
in a different capacity. As a member of this Board 
I hope to be able to pay back in some measure the 
debt of such long standing, while at the same time 
I am certain of deriving great satisfaction from the 
experience of more intimate knowledge of the American 
High School, as well as of my association with your- 
selves. 



Syttende Mai Tale holdt i Fargo, N. D., den 16de Mai og 
i Grand Forks, N. D., den 18de Mai 1908. 

Mine Darner og Herrer, Landsmgend i (Grand Forks) 
Fargo : — 

Vi er samlet her for at feire vort gamle F^^dreland 
Norges store H^itidsdag, den 17de Mai. Og vi gj0r det 
tilgavns, ja endda bedre end de gj0r det hjemme i 
Norge ; for her hos os vil Festen vare tvende, ja for man- 
ges Vedkommende kanske ogsaa trende Dage tilende; vi 
begynder tidlig og vi begynder godt. Vi husker hjemme- 
fra, at vi ved de store H^itider ogsaa feirede den fore- 
gaaende Dag, Julaften, Paaskeaften osv. ; derfor forslaar 
ikke selve 17de Mai=Dagen for os, vi opretter ogsaa en 
17de Maiaften. 

At vi aldrig glemmer ITde Mai siger sig selv; glemte 
vi den Dag, havde vi ogsaa glemt vort F^edreland. Den 
Dagen har vi jo feiret lige fra de tidligste Barneaar, fra 
vi var en N^ve stor; og for mange af os knytter vel de 
stolteste og lykkeligste Erindringer fra de Tider sig til 
hin 17de Mai, da vi for f^rste Gang fik vrere med og 
marschere i Barnetoget med Flag i Haand til JEre for 
Dagen. Her i det fjerne Amerika slaar hvert Aar den 
17de Mai vor Kjgerlighed til Fsedrelandet, Gamle Norge, 
ud i Luer, og vi h0itideligholder Dagen, som var vi der- 
hjemme; og at det hverken mangier os paa Tilslutning 
eller Begeistring, det ser vi tydelig her idag. 

Hvorfor er det nu, at vor Loyalitet og Begeistring ikke 
aftar med Aarene, men snarere tiltar i Styrke og In- 

(91) 



92 

derlighed? Hvad er det som gj^r, at den 17de Mai al- 
tid vil vaere en Festdag for os, selv om vi er aldrig saa 
langt borte fra Fj^drelandet ? 

F0rst og fremst fordi det er Norges Grundlovsdag, 
den Dag da for snart et Aarhundrede siden Faedrenes 
store Yserk blev forel^big fuldendt, da de paa Eidsvold 
gav Landet en Konstitution, hvis Mage man vanskelig 
skal finde i den hele Verden. Al virkelig Magt og 
Myndighed er ved den lagt i Folkets Haender, formidlet 
ved de mest folkelige og liberale Institutioner, Hi- 
storien kjender. Grundstenen til vor Frihed blev altsaa 
lagt den 17de Mai 1814, selv om det tog lang Tid, lige til 
den 7de Juni 1905, f^r det trefarvede Flag kunde heises 
itop paa den fuldf^rte Bygning. Det store Maal, som 
Fffidrene paa Eidsvold havde sat sig, men ikke magtet 
belt at Sc^tte igjennem, blev i 1905 endelig naaet. Det 
norske Folk i sit Storthing hgevdet Landets Grundlov. Om 
Grundloven af 17de Mai 1814 fylkede vi os dengang til 
Forsvar for Norges geldgamle Frihed og Selvst^ndighed. 
Derfor vier vi Dagen til Mindet om Fgedrenes store V^erk, 
og vi deler Hjemlandets Stolthed og Glsede over Beva- 
relsen af den dyre Arv. 

Begge vore to store Nationaldage, 17de Mai og 7de 
Juni, har en egen Betydning for Norge og for Normagnd 
hele Verden over, fordi de har Isert os noget vi aldrig maa 
miste af Syne: De viser os det norske Folk fuldstaendig 
enigt, samlet i Fylking fra Nordkap til Lindesnses. 
dette Folk, som ellers saa ofte, altfor ofte, er splittet i 
Partistridigheder og Kampe. I 1814 optraadte Nor- 
masndene for f^rste Gang i sin Historic i fuld Enighed, 



93 

dengang de efter vel udf^rt Arbeide dannede Broder- 
kjgede og h^itidelig svor paa at vsere ^'Enige og tro til 
Dovre f alder." Det var den samme Enighed, som i 1905 
fik hele Verden til at beundre det lille modige Folk der 
inord, en Enighed som fjzlrst gav sig Udslag i Stortliings- 
beslutningen af 7de Juni og saa i den enestaaende Folke= 
afstemning. Naar et Folk er saaledes forenet og samlet, 
og paa samme Tid viser en saadan Offervillighed og 
brgendende Faedrelandskjagrlighed hos Store og Smaa, 
Maend og Kvinder, da er dets Kraft og Vilje uimodstaae- 
lig. V^er vis paa det, Landsmeend, hvis Norm^nd, enten 
det er i Norge eller her, vil staa saaledes sammen, enige 
og samdr^gtige, kan de opnaa livad det skal vsere — da 
vil de altid vinde frem til Seier. 

Men 17de Mai har ogsaa en videre Betydning for os, 
som gode amerikanske Borgere. Vi h^rer saa ofte det, 
at man her i Landet 0nsker os Normgend velkommen som 
et af de bedste Elementer i Amerikas Befolkning, fordi 
vi er arbeidsomme, straebsomme og serlige, men fremfor 
alt fordi vi er lovlydige. Hvis dette sidste er sandt, som 
jeg tror det er, og vi virkelig fortjener Ros som lovlydige, 
kommer det vel af, at vi stammer fra et Land med gode 
Love, Love som indgyder Respekt og som fortjener at ad- 
lydes. Det er de frie demokratiske Institutioner, som 
skabtes ved den norske Grundlov, som kanske mer end 
noget andet har forberedt os og gjort os skikket til godt 
amerikansk Borgerskab. 

Hvis nu vor norske Oprindelse og Opvasksten hjemme 
i Norge har bidraget saa meget til at gj0re os til gode 
loyale amerikanske Borgere, saa er det jo ikke nogen 



94 

Skade, men tva^rtimod til Gavn for vort amerikanske 
Borgerskab, foruden at det i sig selv maa skaffe os en 
inderlig Glsede, at vedligeholde Forbindelsen med det 
gamle Land og derved stadig styrke den norske National- 
f0lelse, som bor i os. Ved Bevarelsen af Norskheden ud- 
vikler vi det bedste i os selv og sa^tter os istand til at yde 
vort Bidrag til Aandsudviklingen i Fremtidens Amerika. 
Vi maa 0se vor aandelige F^de fra den rige F^drenearv. 
Det er fra Norge at vort Aandsliv naturligen faar sit 
Prgeg, og derfra vil det ogsaa faa det meste af sin Kraft 
og Nsering. Vi tra?nger netop derfor de Impulser, som 
Forbindelsen med Norge kan gi os. Uden denne rige 
aandelige Arv vil vi staa her paa den fremmede Jord- 
bund uden Rod. 

Der findes nu et storartet Organ, hvis Formaal netop 
er at vedligeholde Forbindelsen og styrke Samholdet mel- 
lem Norm^end i og udenfor Norge, nemlig, som I alle 
ved: Normandsforbundet. Fra en liden Begyndelse har 
denne Forening voxet sig frem til en anselig St0rrelse, 
nu vist med et Medlemsantal af 30,000 til 40,000, spredte 
over hele Jordkloden. Den Tanke, som ligger til Grund 
for Nordmandsforbundet og hvorom faedrelandssindede 
Maend og Kvinder baade i Norge og Amerika har samlet 
sig: "At knytte en Broderkja^de mellem Normaend over- 
alt i Verden, og danne et virksomt Hele af de spredte 
norske Krasfter,'' denne store Tanke har sikkert vundet 
Anklang i norske Hjerter ogsaa her i Nord Dakota. 

Gamle Mor Norge, som naturligt er, viser paa mang- 
foldige Maader sin Inter esse og varme Kjgerlighed for 
sine udvandrede Sinner og D^tre. Hun f^lger med i al 



95 

deres Gjerning og glaeder sig stolt, naar de gj0r noget 
stort og vinder ^re. Saadan ^re kaster jo ogsaa Glans 
tilbage paa det Land, som frembragte Manden og f^rst 
opmuntret og gjorde ham skikket til sin Gjerning. De 
Normagnd her i Landet, som har vundet sig et Navn, 
ved borgerlig eller anden Fortjeneste, har da ogsaa hjem- 
mefra faaet ^resbevisninger og blit udmgerket paa 
mange Maader. Paa vore store Festdage sender Norge 
OS Hilsen, og dets Repraesentanter her i Landet gaar i 
Spidsen for Festlighederne. Ifjor 17de Mai bragte Mi- 
nister Hauge en saadan Hilsen til den store Skare Lands- 
mgend, som var samlet i Chicago, og iaar er Minister Gude 
paa samme Maade kommen til Normgendene i Minneapolis. 

I extraordingert Statsraad, efter Forslag af den norske 
Regjering — og bag den Storthinget og hele det norske 
Folk — besluttede Norges gode og inderlig afholdte 
Konge, Haakon den 7de, at sende til alle Norm^nd i 
Amerika sin hjertelige Hilsen, og til at frembagre denne 
udvalgte han Norges f0rste geistlige Embedsmand, Ri- 
gets Primas, Biskop Bang, som derfor er kommet den 
lange Vei over Havet. Imorgen vil Biskopen i Min- 
neapolis fremf0re Kongehilsenen ; og jeg ved den vil 
naa frem til alle norske Hjerter, fordi den selv kommer 
fra Hjertet. 

Biskopen vil ogsaa overraekke Normgendene i Nord- 
vesten en Statue af Henrik Wergeland, n^iagtig Magen 
til den, der nu skal reises i Digterens F^deby. Bidrags- 
yderne til denne vakre Gave er Norges f0rste Magnd, 
Statsminister Michelsen, L0vland og Gunnar Knudsen, 
Storthingspraesident Berner, Roald Amundsen, Frithjof 



96 
Nansen, BjVrnstjerne Bj^rnson og mange andre, som har 
villet vise sine udvandrede Br^dre sin Agtelse og Kjaer- 
lighed ved at skjgenke dem et Mindesmserke over denne 
Norges Digterkonge, han hvis Hjerte var fuldt af Glsede 
over Livet, over Arbeidet og den Lykke som ligger i Ar- 
beidet. 

Normeendene herover og Norm^ndene hjemme trsen- 
ger hinanden gjensidig. Norge og Amerika skylder hin- 
anden saa uendelig meget, og det er derfor passende og 
naturlig, at hver af dem den 17de Mai mindes denne 
Gjgeld. Jeg har ngevnt det f0r : Norge har f orsynet og for- 
syner fremdeles Amerika med et af de bedste Elementer 
i Befolkningen, et Element, der staar for Lov og Orden. 
Store Dele af dette Land, og ikke mindst dette herlige 
Nord Dakota, er blit ryddet og derefter bygget af norske 
Sener og Muskier. Den norske Nation har skaffet Ho- 
veder til Styrere af forskjellige Stater i Unionen, ligesom 
vi finder Normasnd i Landets h0ieste Raad i Wash- 
ington. Det er ikke bare i ren kropslig Henseende vi har 
gjort en kraftig Indsats i Livet omkring os; overalt hvor 
Oplysning og Fremskridt spores, er vi med, Som Ameri- 
kanere maa vi derfor erkjende, og vi gj0r det med Stolt- 
hed og Tilfredsstillelse, at Amerikas Gjeeld til Norge 
er stor. 

Men saa har da ogsaa Norge meget at takke Amerika 
for. Millioner af Dollars sendes Aar efter Aar fra Ame- 
rika til Norge og bringer HjaBlp og Glasde til mange trsen- 
gende derover. Disse Penge er fortjente og sparet sam- 
men i dette Land, som med sine umaadelige Resourcer 
og Anledninger har gjort dette mulig. 



9? 

Men Norge har faaet noget bedre og st^rre end dette 
fra Amerika. Det har faaet Opmuntring og Inspiration 
til Ideer, som har bidraget til den norske Nations Vcekst 
og Udvikling og i mange Retninger gjort den til hvad 
den er idag. Vi ved alle, at den norske Konstitution er 
i en vaesentlig Grad formet efter Amerikas. I de liberale 
og folkelige Institutioner, som fra Amerikas Konstitution 
blev indlemmet i den norske Grundlov, arvet det gamle 
Kongerige Norge fra den unge Republik det, som 
i n^sten Hundrede Aar har vist sig at vaere til Vel- 
signelse for det norske Folk. Men dette er ikke alt: 
I hele denne Tid har den norske Nation vgeret under 
Paavirkning af liberale Ideer og Tanker, en Indflydelse, 
som er kommen ved hjemvendte Normgends Beretninger 
om Livet og Forholdene herover pg ved den umaadelige 
og uafladelige Str0m af Breve til Hjemlandet. Norges 
politiske Udvikling viser gjennem hele Aarhundredet en 
uafbrudt Vekst i Retning af Folkestyre, og jeg tar ikke 
Feil, naar jeg siger, at den amerikanske Indflydelse har 
havt meget at gjjz^re med den Udvikling af Frihedstanken 
hjemme, den, som endelig kulminerede og fandt sit ful- 
deste Udtryk i Begivenhederne af 7de Juni 1905. 

Tankerne gaar idag tilbage til Norge, vort gamle el- 
skede Faedreland — alt staar levende for vort indre 0ie. 
Vi ser det vakre trefarvede Flag vaie overalt, paa Land 
og i By ; og vi ser Skarer af f estklgedte M^nd og Kvinder 
med nationalf arvede Baand paa Brystet ; vi h^rer norske 
Folkemelodier og Nationalsangen sunget i jublende Kor 
gjennem hele den lange norske Vaardag. Der er Musik 
og Dans — Jubel og Fest overalt. Om Formiddagen gaar 



98 

Barnetoget — en ustyrlig Elv af Smaaflag h0\ger 
gjennem Gaderne, og Luften skjgelver af begeistrede 
Hurraer. Opover Karl Johan og Slotsbakken, rundt 
Pladsen foran Slottet, hvor der gj0res holdt og Konge- 
sangen synges, som den kun kan synges af B0rn, for 
hvem Kongen er det st0rste og herligste i denne Verden. 
Kongen kommer ud paa Altanen og hilser Landets vor- 
dende Borgere, Landsfaderen vifter bev^eget til sine 
mindste Barn. Det er som om de skingrende Hurraer al- 
drig vil ta en Ende. Toget gaar videre, nedover til Byen 
igjen, forbi Stortliinget, fremdeles videre gjennem de 
lange Gader og endelig til F^stningspladsen. De smaa 
B0rn marker ikke noget til Tra?tlied; de smaa Arme hol- 
der trofast Flaget iveiret ; de smaa Struber synger om og 
om igjen: ^'Ja vi elsker dette Landet/' Og paa denne 
Dag Iffirer de at elske det, saa de aldrig glemmer det. — 
Ikke en af os lier idag liar idetmindste glemt det. Det er 
Eftermiddag, og det store Borgertog marsclierer gjennem 
Gaderne under talrige vakre Faner til ^re for Dagen. 
Folkets Kaarne, Stortliingsmasndene gaar i Spidsen, saa 
Handelsmaendene, Haandvserkerne, alle mulige Stander, 
og saa tilslut de muntre Studenter med Duskehuerne. En 
af Landets store Mgend holder Festtalen; Roald Amund- 
sen har gjort det, Nansen har gjort det; men oftest er 
det vel blit gjort af Norges f^rste S0n, Fadrelandssan- 
gens Digter, den uforlignelige Taler og Patriot Bj^rn- 
stjerne Bj^rnson. 

Det er paa denne Tid af Aaret at Griesset spirer, at 
L0vet sprgetter, at Elvene gaar fra Fjeldet i brusende 
Flom og Fossefald ned til Fjorden. Kjender I ikke den 



99 
liflige Vaarduft fra Blaaveis og Markfiol? H0rer I ikke 
Fossens Dur? Ser I ikke det lysegr0nne Skjrer over hele 
vort herlige Land ? Aarstiden er symbolsk for Udvikling, 
Vaekst og Kraft i Folket. Ligesom Norges vakre Vaar- 
skrud bebuder Sommerens fulde Udvikling, saaledes lo- 
ver den 17de Mai evig Uafhgengighed, Selvstaendighed og 
Frihed for det norske Folk. 

Lad OS da paa denne Vaarens fagre, l0fterige Dag, 
som Wergeland kalder ''den velsignede blandt Dage, lad 
den altid skj0nnere vende tilbage," denne Dag, som er 
saa rig paa store Minder, som er saa fyldt af Poesi og 
Skj0nhed, lad os da, lad alle gode norske Hjerter, forenes 
i at sende en kjserlig Hilsen tilbage over Havet til vort 
gamle Hjem og Fsedr eland — det underdo ilige Norge ! 



Speech at opening of the bazaar of Norw. Luth. Deacones- 
ses Hosp., Northwest Hall, Chicago, October 28th 1908. 

Mr. President, Sister Superior, Deaconesses, Ladies and 
Gentlemen : 

It is a great pleasure to be here tonight and be given 
an opportunity to felicitate the hospital upon this occa- 
sion; for indeed it is an occasion that justifies congra- 
tulation and rejoicing . 

In holding this Bazaar the institution of Norwegian 
Lutheran Deaconesses is engaged in a vigorous attempt 
to raise the means to accomplish a most laudable purpose : 
that of adding a new building to the present hospital. 
How necessary this step is, we all know; for the need of 
more space in which to carry on the work of the hospital 
has long been deeply felt. The calls upon the hospital 
to supply accommodations have been far in excess of 
what it could furnish; and the time would now seem to 
be here to relieve these conditions. 

Now, what is the record of this institution up to date ? 
In responding to the call made upon our interest and 
charity it is only natural for us to examine into what it 
has accomplished so far. It is not for me here to give any 
detailed history of the hospital — it's small and modest 
beginning twelve, thirteen years ago, its early 
struggles, its gradual growth and development, until it 
has reached its present state of activity and prosperity, 
^e may content ourselves with finding that this splendid 

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101 
growth and development have mainly been due to three 
causes: The excellent administration it has enjoyed, the 
high order of efficiency of its medical staff, and last, but 
certainly not least, the never-failing faithfulness, loyalty 
and devotion of its deaconesses. 

I emphasize this last feature of the hospital's work 
and life as the one that appeals to us most strongly. The 
institution of deaconesses, as we find it here, is one that 
enlists our respect and admiration. Not only is the life 
of its members devoted to the care and nursing of the 
sick, but it is also consecrated to the service of God andHis 
Church. As consecrated members of a church their min- 
istrations are not only to the body but also to the soul, 
and the two often go singularly well together. Their 
long arduous period of study and apprenticeship is un- 
dergone not with any selfish aim of acquiring at the end 
of it a certain earning capacity for their own benefit, but 
solely to become most useful in the service of God by 
reaching the highest degree of efficiency in caring for 
sick and unfortunate humanity. By its selfdenial and 
selfsacrifice their mission is indeed glorious. 

But what also appeals strongly to us Norwegians is 
the fact that the deaconesses here are continuing in The 
New World the work of the ancient and honorable 
Mother institution in old Norway — that they here amid 
new surroundings, too often apt to create a spirit of seK- 
promotion and desire for personal gain, are remaining 
true to the splendid principles of that Mother institution 
and in America perpetuating its glorious traditions. 

Just such an institution as the Deaconesses Hospital 



102 

proves that we belong to a nation so vigorous and true to 
itself, that new surroundings cannot wholly absorb it 
and make to disappear its identity and character. 

I am charged with a special duty here tonight, which 
I feel it a singular pleasure and honor to perform: that 
of bringing to you all a cordial greeting from King 
Haakon and Queen Maud of Norway. Their interest and 
good wishes for the hospital have taken a more tangible 
form in a beautiful present to the hospital, which it was 
planned should be turned over with this greeting here 
tonight. Unfortunately Uncle Sam has not performed 
his part as satisfactorily as desired in having his postal 
service bring the gift here on the appointed day. I can 
therefore tonight only describe the donation as being a 
beautiful Norwegian rug, designed by one of the country's 
foremost artists, Gerhard Munthe, and woven by the 
Arts and Crafts Society of Norway. But I can add to this 
something of which I had an opportunity to judge during 
my visit this past summer in Norway: that the King 
and Queen sincerely feel the deepest interest in and affec- 
tion for the emigrated sons of Norway now living in 
America, and therefore I know I can say that this greet- 
ing from our King and Queen comes straight from the 
heart. j 



Tale ved Overrsekkelsen af Kongens og Dronningens 

Portrsetter til Det Norske Alder domshj em i 

Chicago, den 23de Januar 1909. 

Hr. President Quales, Medlemmer af den norske Alder- 
domshjemforening, mine Darner og Herrer: 

Jeg er paalagt det rerefnlde Hverv at overrj^kke Al- 
der domshj emmet en Gave fra Norges Konge og Dronning 
— deres signerede Portrsetter — og paa samme Tid bringe 
eder allesammen en hjertelig Hilsen fra Kong Haakon og 
Dronning Maud. 

Ved denne Gave har det norske Kongepar git et smukt 
Bevis paa sin Velvilje og Interesse for Alderdomshjem- 
met, F^lelser, som vel ikke kunde faaet et vakrere Ud- 
slag end netop i denne Form. De redle og tiltalende An- 
sigtstrsek, lysende af Venlighed og Godhed, vil stadig 
minde eder om, at den norske Konge og hans Dronning 
omfatter ogsaa Norges iidflyttede S0nner og D0tre med 
Kjasrlighed, at hans Sympathi og Kjasrlighed ikke bare 
gjselder Norges Land, men at hans Kjgerlighed som sand 
Landsfader ogsaa naar det norske Folk, hvor det end 
findes, paa Land og SjV, i alle Yerdensdele. 

Og Kong Haakon paa sin Side saetter stor Pris paa 
de udvandrede Norm^nds Sympathi og Hengivenhed; 
det har han lagt for Dagen ved mange Anledninger. Da 
de norsk-amerikanske Deputerede havde Foretrsede for 
ham under Kroningen i Trondhjem, sa han, at den Sym- 
pathi, som blev vist ham af de udflyttede Norm^nd, 

(103) 



104 

havde vseret ham en stor Hjaelp og Opmuntring i hans 
vigtige Gjerning. Det b^r vi Isegge os paa Hjerte og 
ikke glemme her i det f jerne Amerika. 

Men denne Gave har ogsaa en videre Betydning end 
den at vtere en Hilsen fra Landsfaderen, den er ogsaa en 
Hilsen til eder fra eders gamle Fgedreland. Den er et Bud 
om at gamle Mor Norges Kjgerlighed til sine B^rn aldrig 
oph0rer, selv om B^rnene blir meget gamle og kanske 
aldrig kommer hjem igjen til hende. Hendes Hengiven- 
hed for eder vil aldrig bli mindre, men holde ved til Li- 
vets sidste Stund. 



Tale ved Overrsekkelsen af Kongens og Dronningens Por- 

traetter til Det Norske B^rnehjem i Chicago 

den 14de Februar 1909. 

Denne Dag, St. Valentine's Day, er, som vi alle ved, en 
B^rnenes Dag her i Amerika, paa livilken det er Skik og 
Brug at Barna gir og faar Presenter. Den smukkeste 
Valentine faar idag B^rnene i Chicago's B^rnehjem fra 
Norges Konge og Dronning, Kong Haakons og Dronning 
Mauds signerede Portragtter. 

Og det er en Gave, som ikke bare idag vil forn0ie B0r- 
nene og Hjemmets mange Venner; den vil ogsaa i Frem- 
tiden bringe Glaede og Opmuntring, fordi den er en For- 
sikring om, at ogsaa det norske Kongepar findes blandt 
Barnehjemmets interesserede og gode Venner. Barne- 
kjffire, som de selv er, har det sikkerlig glsedet dem at h0re 
om det Hjem, som har vgeret og vil bli til Velsignelse for 
saa mange norske Smaagutter og Smaapiger, og som paa 
en saa glimrende Maade har vidst at 10se sin store Op- 
gave slig, at det idag, trods Modgang og Uheld, staar paa 
sikker Grund — det vakreste Mindesmaerke over det nor- 
ske Chicago's Omsorg og Kj^rlighed til de smaa og 
hjaglpel^se i Samfundet. 

For et Par Uger siden fik Alderdomshj emmet en lig- 
nende Gave og med den et Bud fra Norges Konge og 
Dronning. Ogsaa idag har jeg Bud at overbringe fra dem 
til de norske B^rn i Chicago. Disse Portraetter skal minde 
dem om deres norske Herkomst, deres norske Afstam- 

(105) 



106 

ning. Selv om de aldrig har set gamle Norge, skal de 
alligevel ikke glemme, at det Land er deres F^edres Land, 
at det engang var Fars og Mors Land, og at de derfor selv 
er bundet til det med mangfoldige Baand. De har norsk 
Blod i Aarene, og de har norske Egenskaber i sin Natur, 
Egenskaber, som de aldrig hverken vil eller kan helt 
skille sig af med, hvor gode og loyale amerikanske Bor- 
gere de end vokser op til at bli. Og ikke skulde de 0nske 
heller at miste det i dem, der er norsk, for det er vel noget 
af det bedste de eier. Vi Norm^nd er velkomne her i 
Amerika, netop fordi vi ansees for at ha de nationale 
Egenskaber, som gj0r os til gode Borgere, Arbeidsomhed, 
Straebsomhed, ^rlighed og Lovlydighed. Hvis dette er 
saa, har Norge git sine udflyttede Sinner og D0tre en 
uvurderlig Skat med til det nye Land, og Efterkommerne 
har en Arv, som de ikke noksom kan saette Pris og ta Vare 
paa. Mit Bud til B^rnene er da: Vaer stolt af Eders 
norske Herkomst, og fors^g altid paa at gj^re Norge 
Haeder ; — derved hgedrer I eder selv. 

De norske Barn i Amerika skal ved Siden af dette 
Lands Historie ogsaa Isere Norges Historie — de herlige 
Minder fra de gamle Haakoners og Olavers Tid, Betyd- 
ningen af 1814 og 1905, Norges Stolthed over de nye 
Haakoners og Olavers Tid. De maa lasre at kjende dets 
Literatur, netop i vore Dage noget af det bedste Verdens- 
literaturen har; de b^r h^re om Nansens og Amundsens 
store Bedrifter. Selv om de aldrig kommer til det Land, 
hvor Far og Mor lekte som Barn, b0r de ialf aid i Aanden 
se dets storartede Natur: Fjeldene, Snebrgeerne, de bru- 
sende Fosser nedover Klippevseggen, de mj^rke Granskoge 



107 

og de smilende Birkelunde — alt saa rent forskjelligt 
fra dette flade Prserieland, vi her bebor. De skal h0re om 
de norske Troldene, om Huldren, Draugen, N^kken og 
Nissen ; ja, de skal laere at holde af den gamle gode Jule- 
nissen. 

Men fremfor alt maa de oplseres i sine Fsedres Tro, 
oplagres til at kjende og elske den Gud, som bar hjulpet 
Norge i Farens Stund, som bar bjulpet Far og Mor, og 
som altid vil bj^lpe dem, naar de med sand Barnetro og 
Tillid vender sig til bam. 



Oration— on "Patriotism" — delivered at graduation ex- 
ercises of Deerfield Township Highschool at Ravinia 
Park Theatre, 111., June 17th 1909. . . 

The graduating class is completing its High School 
course, and some of you are perhaps experiencing a 
feeling of satisfaction at the thought that this means 
the end of study. It may mean the end of school courses 
and examinations, but certainly not of study. In fact, 
for many of you the study of the most important things in 
life is just about to commence — instead of graduating you 
are just making your entrance into the school of life. 
And there is this great difference between this new school 
and the old, that now your courses will not be prescribed, 
your progress not assisted by text books nor watched and 
superintended by teachers and monitors who give you 
high or low marks, commend or censure you, but it is 
left with you yourselves to select your studies — the most 
complete form of the elective system — to push or let them 
languish, and consequently to make in them success or 
failure. 

It is one of the studies open to you in this new school 
of life that I want to especially recommend as worthy of 
your serious consideration and application, as likely 
throughout life to give you and also your fellow-men the 
greatest amount of real genuine satisfaction. Proficiency 
in this study ranks I think very close after knowledge and 
proficiency in truth and the other essential moral attri- 

(108) 



109 

butes of a good man. Some of you perhaps do not know 
that this course is given in the school of life and will be 
surprised to learn of its being offered to you as part of the 
curriculum. I refer to the study of patriotism. 

Patriotism ! You will think you know what it is and 
that you possess it, and some of you even feel something 
bordering on resentment at the idea of your being 
thought lacking in it. It is one of the things that you 
think should be taken for granted ; for no normal man or 
woman, you say, is without patriotism. That is the very 
mistake: to take the understanding and possession of 
patriotism too much for granted. 

What is patriotism ? The great English statesman Jo- 
seph Chamberlain asks the same question thus: "What is 
this patriotism, this almost universal instinct for which 
more men have given their lives than for any other cause, 
and which counts more martyrs than even religion itself 
— this potent sentiment which has produced so great and 
splendid deeds of heroic bravery and unselfish devotion — 
which has inspired art and stimulated literature and 
furthered science — which has fostered liberty and won 
independence and advanced civilization, and which on the 
other hand has sometimes been misunderstood and per- 
verted and made the excuse for brutal excesses and 
arbitrary tyranny ? ' ' 

In his learned and justly famous speech a dozen years 
ago at Glasgow University Mr. Chamberlain undertakes 
to account for the origin and growth of what he terms 'Hhe 
greatest of civic virtues and most important element of 
national character — patriotism. ' ' He gives the dictionary 



110 
definition of the word ^'patriot" and shows how its 
meaning in the course of time has undergone an evolution 
so as to have changed from merely signifying citizen or 
compatriot, to denote a good citizen and true lover of 
his country. He refers to the quaint opinions expressed a 
couple of centuries ago by Lord Shaftesbury to the effect 
that patriotism is not founded on the accident of birth- 
place alone — is not merely an attachment to the soil, but 
depends upon the pursuit of common interest, the defense 
of a common independence and the love of common 
liberties ; that it is strengthened by a common history and 
common traditions and is a part of a national character 
formed under these conditions. Mr. Chamberlain reviews 
the patriotism of ancient times and shows that with the 
Jews it was a religious exclusiveness centered in Jerusa- 
lem, and as found in ancient Greece and Rome it was nar- 
rowed to the native City — a municipal rather than a 
national sentiment. Later, in the Middle Ages, when the 
intensity of religious differences produced a line of 
division more marked than that of race or nationality, 
patriotism was attachment to a faith instead of love of 
country. 

For a long time the kind of patriotism chiefly revealed 
in history is a personal loyalty and devotion to the king 
or ruler, whose power and prestige represents the great- 
ness of the nation. He is the people's might and influence 
personified. Louis XIV said truly ' ' L 'etat, c 'est moi, ' ' and 
Frenchmen in his reign prided themselves upon being not 
citizens of France but subjects of the greatest monarch 
then ruling on earth. With the struggle of the American 



Ill 

colonies for independence and above all with the great 
revolution of France there was revealed to the world a 
new kind of patriotism consisting of duty, devotion and 
self sacrifice towards one 's country and people. The spirit 
of national pride and unity became infectious, spread, and 
breaking out all over Europe, caused separated elements 
that belonged together to unite, withstand oppression, 
throw off foreign yoke and rise as newborn nations. Ger= 
many unified itself, likewise Italy; the vast empire of 
Russia became consolidated; independence was secured 
by Switzerland, Holland, Greece, Norway. 

There is no doubt that patriotism has grown and 
widened with the advance of civilization and the progress 
of liberty, until it today is more powerful than ever be- 
fore. It is equally true that it is strongest in the most 
democratic communities, in countries possessing the most 
liberal and free institutions such as France, Switzerland, 
Norway, Great Britain and the United States. And the 
reason is not hard to find: Where a country ^s govern- 
ment, laws and institutions have been created by the 
people and for the people, often as the rusult of a hard 
protracted struggle and bloodshed, that people cannot but 
prize the hard-won treasure of liberty and be willing to 
sacrifise much for its preservation. 

De Tocqueville says there are two kinds of patriotism, 
that of instinct and that of reason; and they have also 
been described as patriotism of the heart and patriotism 
of the head. Lack of the former is I think very rare ; it 
will be hard to find a nation that will not stand up and 
fight with heart and soul if its liberty is threatened. It 



112 
does not require study — it is inseperable from the heart as 
the love of one's mother. It is a patriotism that is gene- 
rous, wholesouled, selfsacrifising, heedless, indifferent to 
consequences. It shouts: My country, right or wrong. 
It is the patriotism that poor Poland has shown time and 
time again in vain efforts against overwhelming odds to 
regain her autonomy and liberty. It is the kind of patriot- 
ism that in the recent Japanese "War sent tens of thou- 
sands of ignorant Russian peasants cheerfully to death: 
The Little Father, who personified the glory and greatness 
of the fatherland, asked it, and their patriotism of the 
heart could not question his command or the justness of 
the cause. It is the kind of patriotism that four years 
ago, when Norway took the daring step of dissolving the 
union with Sweden and thereby necessarily offended the 
stronger neighbor at risk of war, made men, old and 
young, of all classes and conditions, leave their vocations 
and rush to what threatened to be the firing line on the 
frontier; made men, women and children, whether rich 
or poor, offer their savings to the State for the defense of 
the country; made the emigrated sons of Norway by 
thousands, although happy and secure in distant America, 
offer to return and give their lives, if needed, for the old 
fatherland. It is the patriotism that plunged your own 
country into the most sanguinary Civil War, where 
brother stood against brother, a struggle that in devotion 
to cause and in sacrifice has never been equalled in 
history. And you, who have inherited the fruits of that 
awful struggle, if your country again should need the 
same sacrifices for the preservation of its life or honor, 



113 

would, I am certain, never be found lacking in passionate 
affection and generous sacrifice — in patriotism of the 
heart. 

The patriotism of reason, the quiet, sane patriotism, 
with which the head busies itself faithfully in time of 
peace and security, is more rarely met with ; and yet your 
country needs it as much, nay more, than the other. It 
does not appeal to the imagination, the impulses, the 
romantic side of one's nature. It consists of careful, 
diligent, conscientious study of the needs of your country. 
'* whose mission can be fulfilled only by a general display 
of public spirit, the contribution of all to the common good, 
and by efforts to develop the nobler side of the national 
character and to cure its defects." It requires constant 
and careful study of the vital questions that are before 
her councils. Do you every day read the papers that treat 
of these questions , follow along and consider what 
Congress is doing ? Do you study the motives that under- 
lie the actions of the legislators? Are you satisfied that 
the new Tariff Bill at present before the Senate and 
House is being prepared in furtherance of the dignity and 
good reputation of the United States and will be adopted 
for the welfare of the whole American people without 
ulterior motives of interest to trusts and favored classes ? 
Are you watching the acts of your own representative in 
Congress, so that you are certain he is on the right side of 
this and other vital questions and thus worthily represent- 
ing this district and yourselves? 

And all this applies equally to the smaller community 
in which you live. Are you following along with the 



114 
problems that concern your own city's welfare? Are your 
mayor and council giving your city a clean, efficient and 
economical administration? Is your city getting an ade- 
quate supply of good wholesome water? Is your sewage 
system all that it should be ? Is the electric road fulfilling 
all the conditions of its franchise? Are the laws pro- 
hibiting the sale of liquor within your corporate limits 
strictly lived up to ? Are law and order maintained in all 
particulars, and is the public service up to the highest 
known standard for a municipality? 

The patriotism of which I speak is not passive but 
active; it is not negative and critical, but possitive, as- 
sertive, effective. The critical attitude leads to nothing ; it 
may be able to destroy, it can never create. It is compara- 
tively easy to stand by and criticise the course of events 
and the men who are directing them, but a very different 
thing to plunge in yourselves and bring some definite 
thing to pass. Chamberlain says: ''To leave politics to 
the politicians whether in national or in municipal work 
is as fatal to the best interests of the State as to leave to 
mercenaries the defense of its territories ''. Some twenty 
year ago in Cambridge I heard the advice of a compara- 
tively young man, who was then, if I am not mistaken. Po- 
lice Commissioner of New York and who afterwards in his 
uniquely strenuous life as Secretary of the Navy, Colonel 
of Rough Riders, Vice President and twice President of 
the United States has accomplished so much as to be 
generally accounted outside of his own country as the 
greatest American since Lincoln. His advice to the 
Harvard students was : ' ' Young men, go into politics ; you 



115 

cannot devote your time and energies to anything better 
than service of your country!" About the same time a 
representatives of one of Massachusetts' oldest and best- 
known families, since become famous as an historian of his 
country and now senior senator from the Bay State, ad- 
dressed the students of Harvard College thus : ' ' Let every 
man give of his leisure, be it more or less, to politics, for it 
is simply good citizenship to do so. Discard at the 
outset the wretched habit which is far too prevalent in 
this country and particularly, I am sorry to say, among 
highly educated persons, of regarding all men who are 
much in politics with suspicion, and of using the word 
'^ politician" as an uncomplimentary epithet and usually 
with a sneer. You neither help nor hurt the politician 
by so doing, but you hurt your country and lower her 
reputation. There is nothing indeed which does more 
to injure politics and the public business than to assume 
that the man who enters it is in some way lowered by 
so doing. The calling ought to be and is an honorable 
one, and we should all seek to honor and elevate, not 
to decry it. Politics is a wide field, but it is a very practi« 
cal one, and the amateur is not only singularly out of 
place there, but is especially apt to do harm by mistaken 
efforts to do good. Take hold of politics as you would of 
any other business, honorably and respectably, but take 
hold hard." 

You must know all about these matters if you are to 
do your duty as citizens. You cannot begin too early 
to inform and prepare yourselves, if you are to vote 
intelligently on municipal as well as national questions. 



116 

And you are fast approaching the time when you are to 
enjoy what is both a glorious privilege and a grave 
responsibility — your franchise as citizens. 

And you, young women, will soon be able to vote for 
directors of this very school, which you are leaving today, 
and will then share with the men the responsibility of its 
being governed properly. Before long I believe that you 
here in Illinois, in like manner as now in other states of 
this union, will have a voice in all municipal questions. 
And finally, if the women of America some day should 
really want the suffrage in national affairs (what they 
evidently do not generally now) and should be properly 
prepared and qualified for it, they will not have to resort 
to agitation and violent means (as employed by the 
suffragettes of England), but they will receive it as their 
natural due. This is amply demonstrated by the woman's 
suffrage movement in the most progressive countries of 
Europe, which, though labeled "monarchy," are in fact 
far more democratic than this republic. In the national 
elections in Norway this coming autumn the women will 
vote. The national assembly of Finland already counts 
among its members a number af women. 

What kind of patriotism is found among immigrants 
to this country? Do they with citizenship also acquire real 
patriotism for their new country ? Does not the lingering 
loyality to the old home exclude the full measure of 
devotion to the new ? The answer is, I think, sufficiently 
furnished by the part these foreign elements (not all in 
the same degree, to be sure,) take in the national life of 
America — the part they took in the Civil War and the part 



117 

they take today at the polls and in the councils of the 
nation. The sentiment for the old home and the sentiment 
for the new are shown to be a different kind, which do not 
contradict or exclude each other. They can both exist at 
the same time in full strength. The condition of these 
people was, I think, beautifully and correctly expressed 
the other day at the celebration in Chicago of its national 
holiday by a foreign people : ''We marry our new country 
America, but we always remain sons of the old fatherland. 
The love for the spouse is no hindrance to the lasting 
love for the parent '\ To the new country, from which a 
man asks and receives the best there is — life, liberty and 
the pursuit of happiness — he owes his best in return ; and 
for him to avoid the duties of loyal citizenship would be 
both unmanly and unfair. 

The patriotism for the native land must in every loyal 
heart be deepseated and lasting. With that land is asso- 
ciated all that is dear and precious from earliest child- 
hood. It is the first home ; it is the home with which are 
inseparably connected the faces of father, mother, sisters, 
brothers. There were felt the joys and sorrows of the 
boy — the pleasures that delighted and the hard lessons 
that hurt. There were received the first impressions of all 
that is beautiful in life — the incomparable beauty of the 
native land. There was fostered the ambition, and there 
was inspired the longing that at length led to emigration. 
There was given the preparation that trained and adapted 
the emigrant to good American citizenship. Is it any 
wonder that the patriotism of the immingrant for his old 
home on its national day makes him recall in speech and 



118 

song its beauty and glory, makes him march in proces- 
sion with the old national colors above his head, makes 
him unite in mind and heart with the brothers at home? 
Is it any wonder that he continues to feel as a son and 
always to speak of that old home as mothercountry or 
fatherland ? 

Patriotism is a strange thing. It is often latent 
— thoroughly concealed until something occurs to kindle 
it, when it bursts out into hot flame. In foreign lands I 
have heard insulting or slighting words to America 
uttered in presence of an American, and seen this man, 
usually so quiet and selfcontained, become animated with 
a passionate patriotism that demanded and procured the 
words retracted. In remote parts of the world I have 
witnessed the Stars and Stripes suddenly unfolded before 
the eyes of an American and seen those eyes, often hard 
and cold, at once fill with tears of tenderness and pride. 
You all know the famous story of ''The man without a 
country"? If you ever are far away from her and her 
symbol ''Old Glory" bursts before your gaze, if you have 
not known before, you will then know how you love your 
country. 

Your sentiments need not be divided — they can fully 
and entirely be devoted to the one country of your birth, 
boyhood, youth, manhood. Its future and destiny are 
largely to be of your making — will greatly depend upon 
the kind of patriotism that you own. If you study and 
practise the right patriotism, your country may become, 
not only in size, resources and power, but in high ideals, in 
lofty aspirations, in nobility of character, the first on earth. 



Tale ved Nedlaegning af Grundstenen til Det Norske Al- 
ders domshj ems nye Bygning^, Chicago, 
den 27de Juni 1909. 

Vi feirer idag en Markedag i Det Norske Alder- 
domshjems Historie. Af alle dens Mgerkedage har ingen 
vaeret mere betydningsfuld og gladelig end denne. Den 
nye Bygning, til hvilken Grundstenen blir lagt, betyder 
f^rst, at Hjemmet vil kunne optage dobbelt saa mange 
gamie Masnd og Kvinder, som ellers vilde grue for den 
Tid, da de ikke saa godt kan tage vare paa sig selv, men 
som nu kan se sit Livs Aften im0de med Fortr0stning og 
Ro. Den betyder ogsaa, at der skabes et dobbelt Fond af 
Lykke og Kjaerlighed for den norske Befolkning i Chi- 
cago ; thi en god Gjerning kommer ikke bare den enkelte 
tilgode, dens Virkning spreder sig udover og saetter 
Mferke i vide Kredse — i hele Samfundet. Dagen er og- 
saa en M^erkepael i en anden Retning, idet Hjemmet net op 
nu har optat sit Hundrede Barn; akkurat et Hundrede 
Mffind og Kvinder har nu nydt godt af den Omhu ogPleie, 
der gives dem i saa rigt Maal her. 

Fra en liden Begyndelse og gjennem Vanskeligheder 
har Hjemmet opnaaet at komme der, hvor det staar idag, 
0konomisk betrygget og st0ttet af den varmeste For- 
staaelse og Sympathi fra alle gode Normaend i Chicago. 
Med den Administration, som Hjemmet har havt, kunde 
det ikke andet end '^make good''. Naar en bra og dygtig 

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120 

Mand Isegger hele sin Sjsel i et Arbeide, maa det lykkes; 
og Dr. Quales kan idag se tilbage paa sin lange Arbeids- 
dag i Hj emmets Tjeneste med den st^rste Stolthed og 
Tilfredshed. 

Hvad der kanske vaesentlig betinger Hj emmets vir- 
kelige Sukces, og som gj0r, at Hj emmets Beboere her maa 
f01e sig lykkelige, er den Aand, som hersker i denne In- 
stitution, en Aand, som omhyggelig og bevidst er fremel- 
sket, og for hvilken Dr. Quales selv bar fundet saa ram- 
mende Ord: 

*'Nei, de er der for Livet. De er under vort Tilsyn og 
under vor Varet^gt, hvad enten saa deres Dage bliver 
faa eller mange. Der bliver ikke Sp0rsmaal om de har 
betalt meget eller lidet. Alle kraever de den samme Pleie 
og den samme Omsorg. Og naar det endelig kommer dertil, 

"At Gravens Taage sig tungt har lagt 
Paa deres halvslukte, matte Blikke^ 
Naar de trylles ei mere af Naturens Pragt^ 
H0re kun Fryd, men f01e den ikke/ — 

da er det, der skal en kjserlig, en 0m og en hjaglpsom 
Haand til at gj0re Leiet bl0dt og l^eske de t0rre Lseber. 
En kjaerlig Haand til at t0rre bort den kolde Sved og de 
salte Taarer fra blege, furede Kinder. En kjaerlig Haand 
til at lukke de brustne 0ine, naar D0dens Engel har opteg- 
net det sidste Aandedrag.'' 

En Ting ved denne Institution af den allerst0rste Be« 
tydning er, at ingen af Hj emmets Beboere et 0ieblik be- 
h0ver, ja ikke engang kan f0le, at de her modtager Al- 
misse, at de ^v ber paa Naade. Deres Selvrespekt og 



121 

Glagde over at ha f^rt et hsederligt Liv lider intet Skaar 
ved nogen ydmygende Tanke paa, at de er afhsengige af 
andre for et Hjem. Her bebor de sit eget Hjem, som in- 
gen kan tage fra dem. Det er kj0bt af dem for et langt 
og arbeidsomt Livs Frugter. Det er os, som idag er de 
Gamles Gjggster, ikke de, som er vore. 

Normeend bar altid vaeret et frihedselskende Folk, som 
ikke taaler at vaere afhsengig af andre. For et saadant 
Folk vilde det vaere dobbelt saart at maatte stole paa 
den Hjgelp, som andre vilde gi. Norske Mgend og Kvin- 
der 1 Alder domshj emmet i^lev i fuldt Mon Selvrespektens 
Tryglied og Tilfredshed. 

Lige fra geldgammel Tid viser Saga og Historic, at 
de Folk, som bar staaet h0iest — som bar eiet mest 
Kraft og Karakter — er net op de, bos bvem der var 
Pligtf^lelse overfor de Gamle i Samfundet. Hos vore 
norske Forfgedre blev Oldingen vist Agt og ^re, og det 
er derfor naturlig, at ogsaa vi paa samme Maade skulde 
vasre dette nationale Trask tro og f^le Taknemmeligbeds- 
gj^eld til vore Gamle, som ved et arbeidsomt og trofast 
Liv bar vist os Veien fremover i saa mange Ting. Dette 
Udslag af Taknemmeligbed er desto skj^nnere, fordi det 
er saa absolut uegennyttig; der sees ikke ben til, at der 
muligens kan komme noget igjen for M^ien og Besvae- 
ret — det gode blir gjort alene for det godes Skyld. Netop 
i vore Dage synes der at gaa gjennem bele Verden en Be- 
vaegelse for at skaffe gamle Folk en sorgfri Alderdom. I 
England er allerede Pensionsloven indf^rt, og i Norge 
vil visselig ikke Alderdomsforsikringen la vente leenge 
paa sig. Her i Cbicago fors^ger nu Skotlsenderne, et 



122 
Folk, som i Karakter og Lynne har saa meget tilf^Ues 
med Normgendene, at reise et Fond paa $100,000 til et 
Alder domshj em. I denne agdle, prisvgerdige Gjerning, lad 
vort norske Folk, og da is^r vi Norske i Chicago, altid 
staa forrest i Nationernes Rsekke ! 



Introduktion af Fr^ken Gina Krog ved hendes Foredrag i 
Bj0rgvins Hall, Chicago, den 22de Juli 1909. 

Mine Darner og Herrer : — 

En Ting vi som Normasnd isaer er stolte af er, at vi til- 
h^rer en Fremskridtsnation — et Foregangsfolk. Naar 
det gjgelder at bryde en ny Bane, hvad enten det er i 
Kunst, Musik, Literatur, Opdagelse eller Polarforskning, 
saa er vort Folk med, ja som of test viser Veien. Vi Nor- 
maend f^ler os glade og stolte over Bevidstheden om, at 
vore politiske Institutioner i Kongeriget Norge har ud- 
viklet sig i mere demokratisk og fri Retning, at Folkets 
Vilje hurtigere kommer til sin fulde Ret — at vi har mere 
virkelig Folkestyre, end Tilfseldet er her i Republiken 
United States. 

Kanske mere bemaerkningsvaerdig end noget andet er 
den Stilling den norske Kvinde nu har arbeidet sig frem 
til i vort Fsedreland, en Stilling nu medf0rende fuld poli- 
tisk Ansvar og Ligestillethed med Manden. Dette Aar, da 
Kvinden for f^rste Gang indtar sit rette Plads i Samfun% 
det ved Delagtighed i det faglles Arbeide for Landets 
Vel, er i Sandhed et stort Maerkeaar i Norges politiske og 
sociale Udvikling og Historie. 

Det er ogsaa vaerd at laegge Mserke til den Maade, 
hvorpaa Udviklingen er foregaaet: Medens man anden- 
steds griber til nbesindige og voldsomme Midler, har man 
hos OS fulgt det bevidste Fremskridts sikre Vei. 

(123) 



: 124 

Denne Kvindens Stilling i Norge er ikke ydet hende 
som nogen Gave, men er Resultatet af en langvarig, ihaer- 
dig, maalbevidst Kamp. Og dette storartede Resultat 
er, ved vi, vgesentlig opnaaet ved en, som i disse mange 
Aar aldrig svigtede Sagen, som i Kampens og Modgan- 
gens haarde Dage aldrig gav tabt, men modig og bevidst 
om sin Sags Retfgerdighed kjaempede Slaget tilende og 
vandt Seier. Denne ene, det er — Gina Krog. 



Tale for Norge ved Hundredeaarsfesten til Ole Bulls 
Minde i Bj^rgvins Hall, Chicago, 5te Februar 1910. 

Ole Olsen Viol, norsk Normand fra Norge — saaledes 
kaldte han sig. '^ First, last and always'^ — Normand. 
Bj0rnson sagde om ham: *'Bare at se ham er en Fest. . . 
Ole Bull var den f^rste og st^rsteFeststund i vort Folk." 
Og de samme Ord gj^lder om ham, som det er sagt om 
Bj0rnson selv: '^At nagvne hans Navn er at heise det 
norske Flag.'' 

Det er dette Trgek hos Ole Bull — hans uforlignelige 
Fsedrelandskjaerlighed til enhver Tid og hvor han end 
befandt sig i Verden, som gjorde ham saa uendelig af- 
holdt af sine Landsm^end, som gjorde, at hans Begra- 
velse blev en S^rgefest for hele Landet, som gj0r, at hans 
F^dselsdag feires 1 Norge, her 1 Amerika, overalt i den 
vide Verden, hvor der findes Normagnd, som en National- 
dag, som en Dag, der bragte noget uendelig stort og 
skj^nt og djnrebart til vort Land og Folk. 

Denne store Faedrelandskjgerlighed fandt Udtryk i 
hele hans Liv. Hans Livsopgave var gjennem sin store 
og skjVnne Kunst at tale Norges Sag, at tolke det norske 
Folks Aandsliv — Sjceleliv; og det gjorde han som ingen 
anden har gjort f0r eller senere. Som Bj0rnson igjen 
siger om han: ^'Naar han fik reist det norske Theater, 
naar han st^ttet norsk Kunst, naar han hjalp det norske 
Museum, naar hans maegtige Fele sang for andre norske 
Foretagender, naar han alle Steder, hvor han kom, hjalp 

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126 

Landsmaend og andre, som traengte til det, saa var det 
ikke saa meget for Sagens eller Personens Skyld, som 
til Norges Lov. Han kjendte sig altid, som vor Udsen- 
ding ! " — Ole Bull glemte aldrig sit Fgedreland, han f or- 
n^gtede aldrig sit Fasdreland. Selv om Kongens Gunst 
stod paa Spil, som dengang han trodsede Karl Johan paa 
Stockholms Slot, saa var han dog ikke rsed for at tale 
Norges Sag og fordre sin fulde Ret og Vaerdighed som 
Normand. 

Om Ole Bulls Liv Igerer os en Ting fremfor alt, saa er 
det Troskab mod Norge lige til det sidste. Hos ham var 
der en uimodstaaelig Trang til altid at vgere med og feire 
Faedrelandets Festdag, saa at han ved flere Anledninger, 
for at komme hjem til Norge paa 17de Mai, reiste Tusin- 
der Mile bort fra Rigdom og ^resbevisninger, og tilslut 
mod Lsegers Raad og Advarsel, gjorde han den sidste 
lange Reise hjem for at kunne skue de elskede kjendte 
Fjelde og Fjorde endnu engang, leve Livets sidste 
0ieblikke i Faedrelandet og lukke sine 0ine med Hovedet 
paa Mor Norges Bryst. 

Norske Mgend og Kvinder, jeg tror, at vi alle f0ler no- 
get af den samme Laengsel, — at der er Stunder i vort 
Liv, da det er saare haardt at vsere borte fra Mor Norge. 
At naevne Ole Bull er paa samme Tid at naevne Norge. 
At hgedre Ole Bulls Minde er paa samme Tid at h^dre 
og fremme Norges Sag. Ole Bull og Norge — de to er 
uadskillelige. Lad os da i denne H^itidsstund erindre 
bans og vort kjgere Faedreland: Norge. 



Speech to the graduating nurses of Norwegian Tabitha 
Hospital delivered June 21st 1910. 

Graduating Nurses of the Tabitha Hospital! 

It is my pleasure and privilege tonight to express to 
you the greeting of this assemblage. Our sentiments are 
twofold : first, pleasure and satisfaction at the good work 
done by you and now happily concluded by this gradu- 
ation, and next, the warmest good wishes for the career 
upon which you are about to enter. 

During the time you have spent at the Tabitha 
Hospital your competency and ability have been 
thoroughly tried, and your fitness for the great under- 
taking of nursing the sick has been put to a severe test. 
If there existed any weakness in your make-up, moral, 
mental or physical, that would in any way disqualify you 
from taking up this occupation, if there were any hin- 
drance to your becoming thoroughly successful in it, such 
weakness would have been discovered, and you would 
not today have received your license to practise nursLug. 
We can therefore all with assurance congratulate you 
heartily upon the proof you have given of your thorough 
fitness for this great profession. 

I say '' profession," for nursing has become a profes- 
sion just as much as the other vocations in life that 
are commonly so termed. In the same degree as they 
it requires a long course of faithful study and application 
beside the most careful training and preparation, and for 
real success it also demands aptitude and fitness. It is in 

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128 
every way as dignified as the other professions — the law, 
the medicine, the ministry, — and in some respects, as I 
shall show, it surpasses all of these. 

It is not an occupation of ease and comfort that you 
have selected ; on the contrary, it is, if rightly pursued, as 
hard and taxing work as is to be found in life. It de- 
mands no mean powers and no small resource of physical 
strength. It calls not only for mental and moral quali- 
ties of the highest order — good judgment, patience, cheer- 
fulness, steadfastness, perseverance — but also an excep- 
tional supply of nerve — good, strong nerve. 

It offers as no other vocation opportunity for the two 
things most worthwhile in life; the development of 
character and the helping of one's fellowbeings. There 
is no place where selfabnegation and selfsacrifice — the 
acts that really go to make character — are so often called 
for as in the sickroom. There is certainly no other place 
where as much can be done to bring help, comfort, solace, 
encouragement, peace to suffering humanity. The con- 
summate ability of the distinguished physician, the incom- 
parable skill of the renowned surgeon are, in promoting 
the real comfort and happiness of the sick, insignificant 
in comparison with the never-failing watchfulness and 
care of the perfect nurse. Through the long nights of 
feverish wakening and through the long weeks or months 
of slow convalescence, it is the nurse's ever-ready hand 
and ever-watchful spirit that lures the sick man forward 
on the road to recovery. It is the hand that smoothes 
the pillow and strokes the brow that convinces the de- 
pressed spirit of the never-failing sympathy of mankind, 



129 

and so gives new interest and new hope in life. Long- 
fellow describes beautifully the angel of the sickroom in 
his tribute to ''The lady with the lamp": 

"Lo; in that house of misery 

A lady with a lamp I see 

Pass through the glimmering gloom 

And flit from room to room. 

And slow as in dream of bliss. 
The speechless sufferer turns to kiss 
Her shadow as it falls 
Upon the darkening walls." 

But this difficult and taxing occupation is not without 
its great compensations and rewards. The realization of 
relieving successfully want and suffering must of itself 
be a constant source of gratification. The ever-increasing 
fund of gratitude of men and women that have been 
cared for must be a joy and satisfaction to the nurse. 
The acquaintance made in many a sickroom between 
patient and nurse grows from mutual esteem into a 
friendship lasting throughout life. Heroic deeds of 
nursing are applauded by the entire world. When a vote 
was taken in England on the question of the most popular 
woman in the British realm, there was an overwhelming 
majority for Florence Nightingale, the heroic nurse of 
the Crimean war. 

And so, upon your entrance into this career of such 
great possibilities, such great responsibilities and such 
great rewards we wish you with all our heart: Success, 
Good Luck and God Speed! 



Tale ved Bjjzlrnson Mindefesten i Orchestra Hall, Chicago, 
den 30te Juni 1910. 

Norske Maend og Kvinder! 

Nylig gik det Budskab udover Verden : Norges store 
H0vding er ikke mere! Det norske Folks vaeldige Maer- 
kesmand er sunket til Jorden ! Den norske Skalds mgeg- 
tige rungende Stemme, som i over et lialvt Aarhundrede 
liar lydt fra Landsende til Landsende, er stilnet ! Der er 
Landesorg i gamle Norge! 

Ja, der blev Landesorg, som man ikke bar seet Mage 
til f0r i det Land eller i noget andet. Sorg, som ikke kom 
til nogen enkelt Kreds af Slegt og Venner; sorg, som 
ramte hele det norske Folk, store og smaa, h0ie og lave, 
Mgend, Kvinder og Barn, som gjorde det stilt overalt — 
i de tusen Hjem. Det var en Mors Sorg over S^nnen — 
Mor Norges Sorg over sin kjaereste og gjgeveste S^n — 
den S0n, som f0rst kaldte hende "Mor!'' 

Og saa stelte Mor Norge med ham som det st0rste og 
dyrebareste bun eiet — med Stoltbed, ^refrygt, Hseder. 

"Saa kom, din Hjemfaerd er beredt 

Alt Norge er i Foraar klsedt; 

din Maidr0m er knoppet ind 

i Tusen lyse Barnesind; 

den Livets Magt, hvorpaa du tror, 

slaar Brudesl0r om vaarvarm Jord — 

Saa kom! — Hun venter dig din Mor!" 

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131 

Hans Bjz(n blev opfyldt, naar ban bad : 

"Syng mig frem over Hav. 
Syng mig hjem til rnin Grav 
i vor Jord, 
hos min Mor." 

Folket str^mmet fra alle Landets Kanter for at vise 
den sidste Hgeder, for at sige det sidste Tak. Norges 
Stormaend var alle der. En anden H^vding, ogsaa en 
KJEempeskikkelse bekjendt for Stordaad, talte om bans 
Liv og Fasrd og tolket den store Landesorg, medens hele 
det norske Folk stod og lyttet med grasdende Hjerte. 

De nordiske Nabolande kunde ikke se saadan Lande- 
sorg i Norge uden at vaere med; selv den Bror, fra hvem 
vi er blit saa fjernet. Sveriges ypperste Skald bragte 
denne Hilsen: 

"Rundt om ser jag ett helt land forsankt i djupaste sorg. Det 
"er inte den svala klagan, som sA ofta blir hord nar nigot beromdt 
"namn strjks ut ur lifvets bok. Har ar det i fullaste mening barn, 
"som s5rja sin far. Det ar, som hade det med ens blifvit tyst och 
<'d6dt dfver fjallen. Men bakom vemodet i alias tigon framtindrar 
"hela tiden en obeskrifligt stilla, nastan helig gladje. Det er 
"gladjen hos ett folk att ha f^tt en sddan hofding att begrava. Vi 
"fa g§L langt upp i de norska hafderna, anda till aldsta dagar, f6r 
"att s6ka din like, Hofding, h5fding, annu i doden hofding! 

"Nar vi svenskar ha tankt p^, Norge, da, ha vi tankt p^ dig. Nar 
"vi ha harmats, da. ha vi harmats paa dig. 

"Ja, djupt i folkens sjai, i det fortegna, 

der brusar andd evigt brodrasdngen. 

Har sta vi kvar och se mot solnedgangen 

och s5rja dig som en af vdra egna." 

Hvad laa der til Grund for denne Norges Landesorg 
— hvad gjorde, at enhver f^lte det som et personligt Tab ? 



132 

Jo, det var det, at enhver norsk Mand og Kvinde, et- 
hvert Barn i Hus og Hytte over hele Norges Land f0lte, 
at han i Bj0rnson havde tabt en Ven, som havde gi't ham 
noget af det bedste han eiet. Til nogle havde han bragt 
Tr^st i Sorgen, til andre Opmuntring til Arbeide og 
Daad, til alle den uforlignelige Nationalsang og Inspira- 
tion til den varmeste Faedrelandskjgerlighed. 

Ja, medens han var Forfatter, Digter, Taler, Politiker 
og alt det andet, saa taenker vi dog heist paa ham, og 
han maa altid v^ere os st0rst og kjagrest — som Faedre- 
landsven. Hvor betegnende er ikke disse Ting, man har 
sagt om ham: 

^'Selve bans Navn klinger som en Festf anf are. " 
''At n^evne Bj0rnsons Navn er som at folde ud 
det norske Flag.'' 

''For Norge var han Fanen, det rent norske Flag 
og selve det historiske Vaaben: Den skridende 
L^ve med Hellebarden. " 

"I Bj^rnstjerne Bj0rnson havde Norge endelig 
tonet Flag — rent Flag. ' ' 
og ikke mindre betegnende hvad han selv siger : 

"Den lange norske Vimpel, der sm elder i mit 
Navn." 

"Jeg vil bo i Norge, jeg vil pryle og pryles i 

Norge, jeg vil synge og d0 i Norge, V9?r vis paa det." 

Bj0rnsons Liv danner et eget Afsnit i Norges Historic. 

I vort nationale Liv og Udvikling blev han Wergelands 

Efterf0lger og Arvtager, og lige til det sidste svigtet han 

aldrig dette sit h^ie Kald. Norges f^rste nulevende Hi- 



133 
storiker har sagt : Skulde jeg skrive en Bog om Norges 
Historie i det 19de Aarhundrede, saa blev f^rste Bind: 
Henrik Wergeland, andet Bind: Bj^rnstjerne Bj^rnson. 
I hele dette historiske Afsnit — disse Halvhundrede Aar 
— var der ikke en Begivenhed af nogen Betydning, hvor 
han ikke stod forrest i Kampen. Gjennem hele sit Liv 
var han inderlig sammen med sit Folk, og han delte tro- 
fast i Fremgang og Modgang godt og ondt. Hele hans 
Liv blev viet det norske Folk ; han blev det 0ie, i hvilket 
det saa sin egen Sjael. Han tsenkte og talte paa dets 
Yegne lige ud af dets Hjerte; han blev dets store og 
sande Tolk; for Udenverdenen blev han Symbolet paa 
sit Land — han blev Norge. 

Bj^rnson forstod tilfulde, og han glemte aldrig os 
Udflytterfolket, og i Arnes Lsengsel efter at komme 
''Over de h^ie Fjelde", tolket han vor Udfserdstrang. 
Han vedblev ogsaa at vsere Mellemleddet i vor Lsengsel 
tilbage til det gamle Land — han var i sig selv et Nor- 
mandsforbund. Hans Ord og Tanker d^r aldig — de er 
uforgjaengelige ; de vil altid leve i Normaends Hjerter her 
som i Norge. Ligesom Norge altid vil vagre Del af vort 
Liv, saa vil ogsaa altid Bj^rnson leve. 



I N D H O L D. 



Side 
Speech delivered in Kuhn's Park, Chicago, May 17th 1897 

on The Constitution of Norway 7 

Three Letters from Norway to The Lake Forester written 

during the summer of 1902 10 

Speech delivered at Brands Park, Chicago, May 17th 1903 

on celebration of the day and on "Skandinavisme" 22 

Remarks (introducing Frank O. Lowden and John M. Harlan 

by F. H. Gade, at the Republican Mass Meeting in Lake 

Forest, 111., October 17th 1904 32 

Speech on "America" delivered at banquet for the Norwegian 

Student Singers at the Sherman House, Chicago, May 

22nd 1905 35 

Letter to the President of the United States accompanying 

petition for recognition of Norway's new government... 39 
Remarks by F. H. Gade, Mayor, at the last council meeting 

of his administration. May 7th 1906 40 

Tale ombord paa Dampskibet "Hellig Olav" den 3die August 

1906 i Anledning Kong Haakons F0dselsdag 44 

Tale for Kaptein Roald Amundsen ved Nationalforbundets 

Banket i Pierson's Hall, Chicago, den 4de Nov. 1906 47 

Skaaltale: "Damerne" ved den norske Kvartetklubs Banket 

i Chicago den 19de Januar 1907 50 

Tale for Minister Christian Hauge ved Nationalforbundets 

Banket for ham i Chicago den 16de Mai 1907 52 

Speech for America at "Syvende Juni" celebration at Wicker 

Park Hall, Chicago, June 7th 19i07 54 

Tale ved Idrsetsforeningen "Sleipners" Folkefest i Brands 

Park, Chicago, den 19de Juni 1907 — Betydningen af 

7de Juni 58 

Tale ved S0nner af Norges Midsommerfest i Minneapolis 

den 23de Juni 1907 63 

Tale for (Norge) Michelsen ved Sangforeningen Bj0rgvins 

25 Aars Jubilseum, Chicago, d. 2den Juli 1907 68 



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Tale for Kaptein Roald Amundsen ved Banketten for ham i 

Congress Hotel, Chicago, d. lite Nov. 1907 71 

Tale ved Festen i Orchestra Hall, Chicago, i Anledning 

Bj0rnsons F0dselsdag, 27de Nov. 1907 73 

Tale for Den Norske Kvartetklub ved dens 18-Aarsfest i 

Chicago den lite Januar 1908 76 

Tale for Det Norske Nationalforbund ved dets Fest i Bj0rg- 

vins Hall, Chicago, d. 17de Februar 1908 78 

Tale ved Det Norske Tabitha Hospitals Koncert i Wicker 

Park Hall, Chicago, den lite Marts 1908 83 

Speech at dinner of Board of Trustees of the Deerfield Town- 
ship Highschool, Highland Park, 111., May 11th, 1908... 86 
Syttende Mai Tale holdt i Fargo, N. D., den 16de Mai og i 

Grand Forks, N. D., den 18de Mai 1908 91 

Speech at opening of the bazaar of Norw. Luth. Deaconesses 

Hosp., Northwest Hall, Chicago, October 28th 1908 100 

Tale ved Overrsekkelsen af Kongens og Dronningens Por- 

traetter til Det Norske Alderdomshjem i Chicago, den 

23de Januar 1909 103 

Tale ved Overrsekkelsen af Kongens og Dronningens Por- 

trsetter ved Det Norske B0rnehjem i Chicago den 14de 

Februar 1909 105 

Oration — on "Patriotism" — delivered at graduation exercises 

of Deerfield Township Highschool at Ravinia Park 

Theatre, HI., June 17th 1909 108 

Tale ved Nedlsegningen af Grundstenen til Det Norske Alder- 

domshjems nye Bygning, Chicago, den 27de Juni 19109 . . . 119 
Introduktion af Fr0ken Gina Krog ved hendes Foredrag i 

Bj0rgvins Hall, Chicago, den 22de Juli 1909 123 

Tale for Norge ved Hundredeaarsfesten til Ole Bulls Minde 

1 Bj0rgvins Hall, Chicago, 5te Februar 1910 125 

Speech to the graduating nurses of Norwegian Tabitha 

Hospital delivered June 21st 1910 127 

Tale ved Bj0rnson Mindefesten i Orchestra Hall, Chicago, 

den 30te Juni 1910 130 



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